KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eric Hosmer hit two home runs and Alcides Escobar drove in the winning run in the ninth to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
David Lough singled and scored the game-ending run when Escobar doubled off the fence in left center with one out in the ninth.
Hosmer homered in the first and his two-run home run in the eighth tied the score at 3. It was Hosmer’s third multi-homer game and his second this season.
Darren O’Day (5-1) took the loss, while Luke Hochevar (3-1), picked up the victory after working a scoreless ninth.
Wei-Yin Chen, who went on the disabled list May 13 with a right oblique strain before returning July 10, departed after Hosmer’s second home run with Lorenzo Cain aboard with one out in the eighth.
Chen gave up a home run to Hosmer on a full-count pitch in the first inning. Chen had not permitted a home run in his previous four starts.
Chen retired the next 12 hitters after Hosmer’s first home run until Escobar’s single in the fifth.
A bevy of scouts were in attendance to watch Royals right-hander Ervin Santana. He can be a free agent after this season and it has been reported he would be dealt before the July 31 trading deadline without a player having to clear waivers.
Santana gave up three runs, only one earned, on seven hits in eight innings to lower his ERA to 3.06, which ranks eighth in the American League.
Matt Wieters homered in the fourth off Santana with two out after Adam Jones reached on an error by first baseman Hosmer.
The Orioles added a run in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead. Brian Roberts and Nate McLouth led off with singles. After Manny Machado bunted them over, Santana walked Nick Markakis intentionally to load the bases. Roberts scored on Jones’ fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop.
Notes — LF Alex Gordon, a first-time All-Star Game selection this year, was not in the Royals lineup. He is hitting .201 with only four extra-base hits in his past 41 games. ... Utility player Elliot Johnson made his first outfield start of the season. .The Orioles optioned DH-3B Danny Valencia, who was 0 for 22 since June 17, to Triple-A Norfolk to make roster space for RHP Francisco Rodriguez, who was acquired in a trade Tuesday with Milwaukee. . Cain batted leadoff for only the fourth time this season. . The Orioles signed Cuban OF Dariel Alvarez, 24, to a minor league contract. He will report to the Orioles’ complex in Sarasota, Fla., before being assigned to Class-A Frederick. After defecting in 2012 to Mexico, Alvarez hit .317 for Tuxpan in the Mexican League.