Royals take win, series from Matusz, Orioles

Despite the Orioles getting to the Royals' bullpen before the fifth inning was in the books, the Royals managed to eke out a 4 - 2 win. Both Baltimore runs crossed the plate while starter Luke Hochevar was still in the game, the second run being of the unearned variety. Having reached the 100-pitch mark with an out left to record in the fifth and allowing Chris Davis to reach after getting ahead 1 - 2 only to plunk him, Hochevar ceded the mound to Tim Collins, who threw his next 11 pitches for strikes en route to four easy outs. Collins left the game after the sixth, accruing a win for his efforts as the Royals scored two runs in the top of the inning.

That victory was only possible because the Royals bullpen took a cue from their pint-sized mascot. Kelvin Herrera, Jose Mijares, Aaron Crow, and Jonathan Broxton finished out the game, with the first three netting holds and Broxton escaping with the save after a Jeff Francoeur fielding error put J.J. Hardy at second with two outs and Nick Markakis at the dish.

On the offensive side of things, Billy Butler and Jeff Francoeur continued their torrid hitting of late. Both hung dong, with Butler's being of the particularly majestic variety and Francoeur's providing the Royals with a one-run lead that Humberto Quintero would add another to when he drove in Alcides Escobar later in the top of the sixth. Butler's mammoth dong was so scary to the Orioles that they proceeded to walk Butler on his next two plate appearance, having had the fear of Hosmer's father put into them. Francoeur, Escobar, and Quintero each collected two hits, and two-thirds of the Royals reached base today, with Johnny Giavotella, Eric Hosmer, and the recently turned frigid Mike Moustakas being the only Royals who did not reach.

On to Cleveland, where the Royals look to take a second straight series from a first-place team. The future is now. Or something.