Royals allow lots of homers, lose 8-1

Mike Montgomery and Tim Hill combined to give up four home runs against the second-worst team in baseball. They’re so terrible. So are the Royals.

The Baltimore Orioles, who entered yesterday with a 39-86 record, took two out of the three games this series. I have nothing witty or funny to say.

Montgomery, who this team wanted for some reason as sellers at the deadline, gave up three runs in a second inning that ended with a bases-loaded double play, so it could have been worse.

Whit Merrifield hit a homer in the third, his 15th, to bring the Royals back within two at 3-1. But then Montgomery continued to have metaphorical diarrhea all over the mound, and he was knocked out of the contest after five innings. He allowed five runs on eight hits. His ERA ballooned back to 4.99.

I don’t even know the half of the players that hit home runs for the Orioles. Anthony Santander hit one. So did Renato Nunez. Who are these people?

On the other side of the pitching matchup, Aaron Brooks, who started one game as a Royal and gave up seven first-inning runs, shut down the hapless Royals to the tune of five innings and one run. His ERA, after that effort, is 6.21. The Royals looked hopeless trying to hit against him.

The Royals are 45-82. They guaranteed another losing season.

Next up: they get tomorrow off and then go to Cleveland for three with the Tribe.