Orioles stay hot, enter All-Star break with 8-2 win over Royals

Jake Kauderer, The Baltimore Sun on Jul 12, 2026

Published in Baseball

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BALTIMORE — The eighth time’s the charm.

Baltimore entered Sunday 0-7 this season with a chance to extend a winning streak to four games. But the Orioles finally changed that. They beat the Royals, 8-2, to sweep Kansas City and enter the All-Star break within two games of the final American League wild-card spot.

Baltimore, which entered Sunday leading the AL in runs scored at home, snapped the tie with a breakout sixth inning.

After third baseman Blaze Alexander drew a one-out walk, pinch-hitter Tyler O’Neill looped a fly ball into right field that Jac Caglianone lost in the sun. What should have been an out created an opportunity for a big inning.

That’s exactly what happened. The Orioles struck for five runs.

Right fielder Leody Taveras — who clobbered a career-long 448-foot two-run home run in the second inning — singled to score Alexander. Pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson then doubled to score O’Neill, Jackson’s second straight at-bat with a pinch-hit double after he hit a game-winning two-bagger against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday to begin Baltimore’s winning streak.

Then, the Orioles’ big bats delivered.

After a balk by Royals reliever Matt Strahm allowed Taveras to score, shortstop Gunnar Henderson singled to bring in Jackson. First baseman Pete Alonso added a double to extend the lead to five.

The Orioles (46-51) rode the dominant sixth inning to their first sweep since late May. It’s unquestionably an encouraging sign, even thought it came against a Kansas City team tied for the worst record in a poor AL. More such winning, and against better opponents, will be necessary for president of baseball operations Mike Elias to seriously consider buying ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

After all, the Orioles haven’t produced a winning month yet this season, though they are 7-3 in July. And they did improve from their record at last year’s All-Star break.

Acquiring Shane Baz from the Tampa Bay Rays in December was a move expected to help solidify Baltimore’s rotation. He has a 4.11 ERA in an inconsistent campaign thus far.

On Sunday, the 27-year-old flashed his abilities.

While Baz only made it through 4 2/3 innings, he struck out nine batters, matching the total from his previous two starts combined. He fanned four hitters with his knuckle curve, which has been less effective for him in 2026 than in previous years.

After batters hit .214 against the pitch in 2025, they entered Sunday boasting a .286 average against it. Baz came into the day generating whiffs on just 21% of his overall pitches this year — down from 25.8% last year.

But he earned whiffs on 32% of his strikes Sunday, in a hopeful sign for Baltimore. The Royals’ only runs came from a triple by Isaac Collins in the second inning and a single by Lane Thomas in the third. Thomas also doubled with two outs in the fifth to knock Baz out of the game after 104 pitches.

The Orioles’ outburst — which catcher Samuel Basallo got in on with a seventh-inning solo home run, his second long ball of the series — helped them win for the first time in Baz’s past five starts.

It didn’t come without drama. The benches briefly cleared in the seventh when Royals reliever Lucas Erceg hit Alexander up high with a 95.5 mph fastball.

The scuffle didn’t matter by the time the game ended. At last, Baltimore won its fourth straight game.

For an Orioles team that seemed desperate for the All-Star break to arrive for much of the season, it ultimately comes just as they’re finally on a roll.

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