But the Orioles have dropped the first two games, and their struggling offense has to face Zack Greinke, the major league ERA leader, tonight in Orioles prospect Chris Tillman's major league debut.
In the two games in the series, the Royals bullpen has pitched nine scoreless innings after it allowed 27 earned runs in 26 innings on their recent nine-game homestand.
"We certainly had a lot of guys up tonight in situations where we could have broke through, but it didn't happen," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "They got out of it and made a little bit better pitches. That's all."
Said Jones, who hit a two-run first-inning homer: "Situational, we didn't do good. Hands down. We had 10 hits or 11 hits, so I wouldn't say the hits were hard to come by. I'd just say the big hit was terribly hard to come by."
Berken, at least, provided a bright spot. Three batters into an outing that was going to help determine whether he would make his next start for the Orioles or the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, he put his team in a two-run hole as Billy Butler slugged a two-run homer.
However, showing the poise and perseverance that has led to the Orioles' sticking with the rookie right-hander even though his statistics suggest that they shouldn't, Berken settled down and allowed no more runs in six innings. It was an effort good enough to salvage his spot in the rotation, and it is Rich Hill who is now expected to go on the disabled list to accommodate Tillman.
"Obviously the numbers haven't been great, but I feel like I am getting better," said Berken, who allowed two runs on six hits and two walks over six innings. "By no means am I done working. It's still a process."
His bid at winning his second game was halted in the eighth when Johnson surrendered the game-tying homer to Bloomquist on the second pitch of his outing.
"It wasn't a very good pitch," Johnson said.
"I've been making a lot of those lately."
Box score
for Tuesday's game PG 4
ROYALS @ORIOLES
Tonight, 7:05
TV: MASN2
Radio: 105.7. FM
INSIDE
Sherrill is Orioles' only high-profile trade possibility PG 5
