Showalter, Bundy and Joseph after O's loss in series opener

KANSAS CITY - A team that plays a lot of close games is going to need its key bullpen pitchers late in the game. Already without All-Star closer Zach Britton, the Orioles tried to get through tonight without using at least two bullpen pitchers.

With two lefties due up, left-hander Vidal Nuño took the mound in the last of the eighth of a 2-2 tie. He gave up three hits, including a tie-breaking double by Eric Hosmer, as Kansas City beat the Orioles 3-2 in front of 25,467 at Kauffman Stadium.

The Orioles are 22-12 overall. They've lost their last two games by a single run after starting the year 8-1 in one-run decisions. Tonight was their 20th game decided by fewer than three runs. They are 15-5 in those games, but the close losses to Washington Wednesday and Kansas City tonight sting a bit, for sure.

The Orioles bullpen seems to have a pitcher or two over the last few nights that manager Buck Showalter preferred to not pitch. Tonight was no different.

"I had two guys I wasn't going to use tonight," Showalter said. "Only one of them in a save situation. We were thin, trying to back off some guys and get their legs back under them."

He didn't name the pitchers, but possibly this meant he tried not to use Brad Brach and Donnie Hart, and planned to send out Darren O'Day only in a save situation. O'Day has not pitched since Monday.

Showalter said not using certain pitchers is nothing new.

"We've done that many times. That's how we've been able to keep our guys healthy. We'll continue to do that. It's a challenge. It's something we'll make some adjustments in as we go forward.

"We pitched well. That wasn't what beat us tonight. We didn't score enough runs. We pitched well enough to win that game. Let's keep the focus on that. Our whole pitching staff's been doing a pretty good job for us. That's one of the reasons we are where we are," he said.

Right-hander Dylan Bundy gave the Orioles an eighth straight quality start to begin his season. He threw a career-high 112 pitches over six innings and gave up four hits and two runs in a no-decision that leaves his ERA at 2.26. Despite a solid outing, Bundy said this was not a day when he had everything working.

"Early on I was struggling, I think all game with the curveball, actually," he said. "I don't think I threw one for a strike or even a swing. So it was really fastball, changeup and two-seamer."

The game was tied 1-1 when Brandon Moss hit a Bundy fastball 456 feet for a 2-1 lead in the fifth.

"Fastball, trying to go, like, belt to letters on the jersey in. And I think I threw it down the middle third and he was able to get the (bat) head out on it. He hammered that thing too. I knew it was gone as soon as he hit it," Bundy said of allowing his fourth homer in 51 2/3 innings.

But Bundy is certainly stretching out his pitch count. He's now thrown 105 pitches or more in five straight starts. Bundy said his father, girlfriend and nephew were in the stands tonight. They came over from the Owassa, Okla., area, which is about 3 1/2 hours away.

They saw him get closer to an Oriole record tonight. Hoyt Wilhelm recorded the most quality starts to begin a season in Orioles history, with 10 in 1959. Bundy is now second with eight.

Catcher Caleb Joseph said it was a battle for Bundy as he tried to match zeros with Kansas City starter Danny Duffy, who allowed two runs over seven innings. He's seen Bundy sharper, but he still was solid again.

"Ten starts out of the year you're going to have your best, 10 you're going to be terrible and it's those 10 in between that you really have to grind out and try to give your team a chance to win. He did that tonight, and it was too bad we couldn't push one across in the later innings for him," Joseph said.

Joseph certainly did his part. He had a three-extra-base hit game for the first time in his career, with two doubles and triple. Joseph is 9-for-16 his last four games.

"I was using Welington (Castillo's) bat, so I have to call him and give him all the credit," Joseph said. "You try to do what you can to help the team out. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't, but I think the main quality I want to bring every night is defense, and I wasn't able to keep it at two, and that's where I'll lose a little sleep tonight. But we'll get back at it tomorrow and see what we can do."

The Royals are starting to play better, winning five of their last six. They are 7-5 in May after going 7-16 in April. Kansas City has now won eight of its last 10 games against the Orioles at Kauffman Stadium.