O's game blog: Orioles need a win in Game 2 to even ALCS

The Orioles take the field this afternoon at Camden Yards needing a victory to avoid heading to Kansas City down two games to none in the American League Championship Series.

The Orioles came from four runs down to tie last night's series opener, but homers in the 10th by Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas gave Kansas City the 8-6 victory.

The Royals, who led the majors in steals and were last in homers during the regular season, did not steal one base last night yet hit three home runs. The Royals are 5-0 in the postseason, have hit seven homers and scored 32 runs.

Right-hander Bud Norris (15-8, 3.65 ERA) faces right-hander Yordano Ventura (14-10, 3.20 ERA) today in Game 2.

Norris was the winning pitcher in the O's Game 3 AL Division Series clincher at Detroit. He pitched a gem at Comerica Park, going 6 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits.

In five September starts, he went 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA and .200 batting average against. Norris was 8-2 with an ERA of 2.44 at home this year. That is a single-season record for lowest ERA here at Camden Yards (minimum 10 starts).

He set career bests this season for ERA, WHIP (1.22) and walks per nine innnings (2.8).

It is just two starts, but Norris has strong career numbers versus the Royals, going 0-1 but with an ERA of 0.68.

In his lone 2014 start against them, on May 17 at Kauffman Stadium, he went 7 1/3 innings, allowing just four hits and one run.

Gordon's four-RBI night in Game 1 was the third time in Royals history a player has driven in four or more runs in one postseason game. The last time was Oct. 16, 1985 when Jim Sundberg had four RBIs in Game 7 of the ALCS against Toronto. Gordon now has eight RBIs this postseason, third-most in one postseason by a K.C. player.

The Orioles used seven pitchers in Game 1, the second time in club postseason history to feature at least seven pitchers. On Oct. 11, 2012, the Orioles used eight pitchers in a 13-inning game against the Yankees in Game 4 of the ALDS.

After today, this series moves to Kansas City for a workout day tomorrow followed by Game 3 on Monday night.