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Hernandez, O's top Royals

Baseball Betting Lines

07/01/2008 - Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ramon Hernandez finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, as the Baltimore Orioles held on to beat Kansas City, 7-5, in the second contest of a four-game series with the Royals.

Radhames Liz (3-0) picked up the win after giving up three runs on seven hits in six innings of work for Baltimore, which snapped a two-game slide. The Orioles have won five of Liz's six outings since he was called up in early June.

"I thought Liz probably had the best command since he's been with us," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "I thought he showed his breaking pitch and his changeup early in the game, which was a real plus for him. I thought he was wobbling there in the fifth. In the sixth I think he was up against the ropes and he was done."

Aubrey Huff went 2-for-4, while Brian Roberts hit a solo homer for the Orioles. Brandon Fahey had a double and RBI in place of shortstop Alex Cintron, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained left hamstring. Cintron suffered the injury in Monday's matchup.

Luke Hochevar (5-6) gave up six runs on six hits in six frames to take the loss, his first since a May 29 outing against Minnesota. Kansas City had won six consecutive games on the road, but has now lost three of four overall.

"He's still got to command the bounding ground ball to right field and the line drive to left," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He has to locate better, no doubt."

Alex Gordon finished with a double and homer, while Mark Teahen also homered and drove in two to power Kansas City's offense.

The Orioles led by one entering the home third, and used a two-out rally to surge ahead. Nick Markakis led off with a single, and after a Huff ground out, Kevin Millar reached base. Luke Scott then grounded into a fielder's choice and Melvin Mora walked to load the bases with two down.

Hernandez then stroked a single to left to drive in Markakis and Scott, and on the throw Mora and Hernandez advanced to scoring position. An Adam Jones single to right drove them in, putting Baltimore up 6-1.

Teahen's leadoff shot to center in the fifth got one run back for the Royals, and his sacrifice fly in the sixth brought Gordon home to bring the club within 6-3.

Roberts' leadoff homer in the seventh, off Jimmy Gobble, restored Baltimore's four-run lead. The Royals, though, staged a potential ninth-inning comeback.

Dennis Sarfate began the inning for the Orioles and walked Ross Gload before getting Miguel Olivo to fly out. Then Joey Gathright walked, bringing Sarfate's stay to a close as George Sherrill entered.

Sherrill had blown two saves in a row, including Monday's game against the Royals. He initially got Mike Aviles to ground out, but that advanced the runners to scoring position. Mark Grudzielanek's single to right plated Gload and Gathright to bring Kansas City within two.

But Sherrill struck out Gordon to end the game, and nail down his 27th save in the process.

"I would have preferred to stay away from Sherrill. I said earlier if it was a save situation I wouldn't be reluctant to put him in," Trembley said. "If you got a guy down there that's a closer on this team and it's a save situation, he's going to get him."

Kansas City jumped out to the early lead when Gordon crushed a two-out solo homer to right in the first inning. Huff's RBI single in the home half, followed by Fahey's RBI double in the second put Baltimore on top, 2-1.

Game Notes

To replace Cintron on the roster, Baltimore selected the contract of shortstop Freddie Bynum from Triple-A Norfolk. Tuesday, the Orioles also transferred reliever Danys Baez from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL in order to make room for Bynum on the 40-man roster. Baez is still recovering from elbow surgery performed last September...The Royals left seven runners on base, while Baltimore stranded four...The Orioles' Daniel Cabrera (5-4) and the Royals' Gil Meche (6-8) are expected to start Wednesday's game.