BALTIMORE — Nick Markakis singled in the winning run in 10th inning after two throwing errors by pitcher Danny Duffy laid the groundwork for the Baltimore Orioles’ 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
The Orioles went eight straight innings without scoring before facing Duffy, who had pitched 8 1-3 scoreless innings on the season.
After Duffy (1-1) hit Jonathan Schoop to begin the 10th, the left-hander threw wildly to second base after fielding a bunt by David Lough. Jemile Weeks followed with another bunt, and on this one Duffy’s throw went high and wide to first, loading the bases.
Louis Coleman replaced Duffy and struck out Nelson Cruz before Markakis hit an opposite-field liner that landed inside the left-field foul line.
Zach Britton (3-0), the sixth Baltimore pitcher, struck out Jarrod Dyson with two outs and a runner on second in the top of the 10th.
Kansas City fell to 0-12 when failing to score at least four runs. The Royals — who stranded 11 and went 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position — are 11-0 when scoring four or more runs.
The Orioles played without slugger Chris Davis, who left Friday night’s game with a strained left oblique. Although Davis expects to avoid the disabled list, Baltimore recalled Weeks from Triple-A Norfolk to provide an extra bat while last year’s major league home run leader is sidelined.
Davis was replaced at first base by Markakis, who moved from his customary spot in right field to a position he hadn’t played since 2011.
Jeremy Guthrie started for Kansas City and gave up two runs before getting two outs, and then blanked his former team over the next six innings before leaving with the game tied. The right-hander finished up by getting David Lough to hit into a double play with runners on the corners and one out in the seventh.
Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen allowed two runs, nine hits and two walks over a season-high seven innings. The left-hander ended his outing with his sixth strikeout, against Alex Gordon with two on and two outs.
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the first. Weeks hit a leadoff single in his first at-bat with Baltimore, Cruz walked and Markakis delivered an RBI single before Adam Jones drove in a run by hitting into a fielder’s choice.
The Royals used doubles by Alcides Escobar and Eric Hosmer to get a run in the third. Chen avoided further damage by retiring Gordon on a grounder with the bases loaded and two outs.
After Weeks tripled with two outs in the fifth and Cruz looked at a third strike, Kansas City pulled even in the sixth. Gordon singled and Danny Valencia beat out a chopper to third before Justin Maxwell blooped a two-out RBI single to center.