Rough day for the defense (O's lose 9-3)

The Orioles have been charged with one error in six innings this afternoon, but that's not the entire defensive story. Adam Jones dropped leadoff hitter Nori Aoki's fly ball for a three-base error in the first, saddling Miguel Gonzalez with an unearned run. Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar got caught in a rundown between first and second base after his leadoff single in the fifth inning, but Nick Markakis lobbed the ball over Steve Lombardozzi's head. Escobar scampered back to first base and later scored on Omar Infante's two-run double. Infante has driven in all four runs for the Royals, who were leading 4-0 until Nelson Cruz's two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth. Aoki also raced home on Infante's double, but he may have been challenged to do so if left fielder David Lough hadn't bobbled the ball. Jones did provide a highlight with a leaping catch on the warning track to rob Eric Hosmer following the double. Gonzalez has allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in six innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. He's thrown 98 pitches, 65 for strikes. Gonzalez has tied his season high with six innings. Josh Stinson is warming again in the Orioles' bullpen. Jemile Weeks led off the bottom of the sixth inning with an infield single, the Orioles' second hit of the day against right-hander James Shields. Neither ball left the infield. Cruz broke the small ball trend with a two-run shot into the Orioles' bullpen that reduced Kansas City's lead to 4-2. Cruz leads the club with seven homers and 25 RBIs. A bargain at $8 million. Cruz has accounted for seven of the Orioles' 17 home runs this season. They hadn't hit one at Camden Yards in their last 40 2/3 innings. Manny Machado is 2-for-2 with a two-run double today at Single-A Frederick. If he keeps this up, he's going to be a Carolina League All-Star. Update: Meek has replaced Gonzalez in the seventh. Gonzalez has allowed three earned runs or fewer in his last four starts, totaling 22 2/3 innings. Update II: Infante hit a two-run homer off Meek in the seventh. His six RBIs tie his career high set on Sept. 6, 2013. Machado is now 3-for-3 with two doubles today. Today's attendance: 38,368 Update III: The Royals sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs, all of them charged to Meek. They lead 8-2 in the eighth. Meek's ERA has risen to 6.75. Meek retired the first two batters before the wheels fell off. Update IV: Game over. Orioles lose to the Royals 9-3. Markakis scored with two outs in the ninth on Greg Holland's wild pitch. Markakis had moved to third base on Delmon Young's pinch-hit double. Mike Moustakas doubled off Ryan Webb with two outs in the top of the ninth to bring home the Royals' ninth run. Yes, another two-out hit for Kansas City. The Orioles are 12-12 going into Monday's off-day. Machado has four hits today at Frederick, giving him eight in three games.