Kansas City pushes across late run to beat O's 3-2 in series opener

KANSAS CITY - Called on to throw a season-high 112 pitches tonight, right-hander Dylan Bundy was up to the task yet again.

But an O's bullpen still somewhat taxed and trying to get on its collective feet saw the Royals push across the go-ahead run in the last of the eighth.

Kanas City beat the Orioles 3-2 as the club that began today with the American League's worst record beat the one that started with the best. The Royals are now 14-21 and the Orioles are 22-12.

The Orioles had gone 6-1 in Bundy's first seven starts but couldn't pull this one out. They turned to lefty Vidal Nuño in a 2-2 tie in the eighth, and Eric Hosmer's RBI double gave the Royals the lead.

Lorenzo Cain singled to left with one out, and then Hosmer drove one to right-center. Center fielder Adam Jones dove, but could not get there as Cain came around for the lead. Salvador Perez then blooped a single to left, but Joey Rickard threw Hosmer out at the plate.

Kelvin Herrera allowed a two-out triple in the ninth to Caleb Joseph but got pinch-hitter Seth Smith to fly to left to earn his sixth save.

Bundy went six innings and allowed four hits and two runs with one walk. His eight strikeouts tied his season high. His ERA is now 2.26 and he recorded his eighth consecutive quality start to begin the year.

Kansas City scored once in the first and the Orioles once in the second for an early 1-1 tie.

The Royals produced some loud early contact off Bundy after the Orioles had stranded two runners to start the game. Mike Moustakas ripped a double that was 112 mph off the bat. Lorenzo Cain followed with another double at 109 mph and the Royals got the early 1-0 edge.

The O's got even in the top of the second. With some help from right fielder Jorge Soler, shortstop J.J. Hardy came up with his first triple since June 5, 2012, and the first of the season by the Orioles. He lined a ball to right that should have been a single. But Soler came in and dove as the ball got by him and Hardy ran to third. The next batter, Joseph, doubled to left-center for a 1-1 tie.

After giving up the two doubles, Bundy settled in and retired 11 of the next 12 batters and struck out six of them. But then Kansas City's Brandon Moss led off the fifth with a long solo homer to left, and the Royals led 2-1. It was homer No. 5 for Moss. He drilled an 0-1 fastball at 91 mph a distance of 456 feet to right-center. It was the fourth homer off Bundy this season.

The O's got even again, this time at 2-2 in the seventh. Joseph led off with his second double of the game as he drilled one to deep left for his eighth hit over his past 15 at-bats. Craig Gentry moved him up a base with a sac bunt to third. Then K.C. starter Danny Duffy uncorked a wild pitch for the 2-2 tie.

Duffy began the night with an ERA of 2.37 in seven career games versus the Orioles, and he was tough on them again. He gave up eight hits and two runs over seven innings. He's allowed two or fewer runs six times in eight starts.

In the second game of this series on Saturday night, Chris Tillman (1-0, 0.00 ERA) faces Royals right-hander Nate Karns (2-2, 4.58 ERA).