Kauffman Stadium

Adam Jones stepped up the plate for his seventh at-bat Wednesday night with the voices of the hecklers around home plate ringing in his ears. With Kauffman Stadium emptied out from 15 innings of baseball, he could hear the Royals fans reminding him of his previous six hitless at-bats, including two strikeouts. It was his three failed attempts with runners in scoring position that irked the Orioles center fielder the most, ones that could have had him and his teammates back in their hotel beds hours earlier.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Billy Butler cost Brad Bergesen the last two months of his rookie season and a possible run at the American League Rookie of the Year award when he nailed the Orioles starter in the left leg with a line drive. Exactly a year and one day since that injury, which took the young pitcher months to recover from, Butler cost Bergesen a long-awaited victory that he deserved. Asked to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning, David Hernandez served up a tape-measure two-run homer to Butler, who sent the Royals to a 4-3 victory Saturday night in a brisk two hours, nine minutes in front of an announced 25,055 at Kauffman Stadium.

Opponent: Kansas City Royals in doubleheader Site: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. Time: 5:05 p.m. TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet/WBAL (1090 AM) Game 1 starters:Orioles' Rick Helling (1-3, 5.86) vs. Royals' Miguel Asencio (2-0, 4.14) Game 2 starters:Orioles' Sidney Ponson (3-2, 4.03) vs. Royals' Runelvys Hernandez (4-1, 1.74)

At Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.:0Day .. .. .. .. Time .. .. TV .. .. .. StartersTonight .. .. ..8:05 .. ..13, 50 .. ..Scott Erickson (11-8, 3.82).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..vs. Jose Rosado (5-8, 4.04)Tomorrow .. .. .8:05 .. ..54, 50 .. ..Scott Kamieniecki (2-3, 6.75).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..vs. Pat Rapp (9-10, 4.92)Sunday .. .. .. 2:05 .. ..13, 50 .. ..Sidney Ponson (4-6, 5.96).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..vs. Glendon Rusch (6-13, 5.74)Royals updateThe eternally rebuilding Royals are winding down a season-long 13-game homestand that has dropped them further within the toothless AL Central.

The Orioles' top two prospects turned in solid performances Sunday in the MLB Futures Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Dylan Bundy, the Orioles' first-round draft pick in 2011, picked up the win for the U.S. in its 17-5 win over the World. The right-handed starter gave up three hits but pitched a scoreless fourth for the victory. Manny Machado, the O's first-round draft choice in 2010, went 1-for-3 with a double that scored two U.S. runners in a nine-run sixth inning.

Quote: "I hate walks. When you walk batters, it causes you too much trouble." - White Sox reliever Lorenzo Barcelo, who has walked three in 24 1/3 innings and has a 1.69 ERA since being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte It's a fact: The Angels have neither won nor lost more than two straight since opening August with five consecutive losses. Who's hot: Everybody in Kansas City. The official downtown temperature in the sixth inning was 102, while the thermometer at a hotel across from Kauffman Stadium read 103. Who's not: The Mariners are a major-league-worst 9-21 in one-run games.

Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel finished third in the AL All-Star Game final vote fan balloting, which concluded Thursday afternoon. As expected, Rangers rookie right-hander Yu Darvish won the vote. White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy placed second. Hammel, who is 8-4 with a 3.43 ERA in 16 starts with 97 strikeouts and 86 hits in 99 2/3 innings this season, placed ahead of Royals closer Jonathan Broxton and Angels reliever Ernesto Frieri. He won't be joining Orioles all-star selections outfielder Adam Jones, catcher Matt Wieters and right-handed closer Jim Johnson for Tuesday's game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

The Orioles have approached Major League Baseball about the potential of hosting the 2016 All-Star Game at Camden Yards, a club spokesman confirmed. There is no formal application process, but club owner Peter Angelos did send a letter to baseball commissioner Bud Selig requesting that Baltimore host the 2016 event. Although teams can present their interest to the league office at any time, MLB usually officially awards its next All-Star Game roughly a year before the event. And, traditionally - although not always - the Midsummer Classic alternates between American League and National League hosts, meaning the game would likely come to Baltimore only in an even-numbered year.