mike moustakas

Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck shares several key moments from Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

The Kansas City Royals had 13 hits in their 6-4 victory over the Orioles in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Camden Yards on Saturday.

The Orioles head to Kansas City down two games in the American League Championship Series as play shifts to Kauffman Stadium for the next three matchups with the Royals.

Orioles left-hander Zach Britton was making good pitches, and drawing weak contact, but the Royals still were rounding the bases.

For the second consecutive evening, it took more than four hours to determine an outcome in the biggest games at Camden Yards in 17 years. And for the second straight night, it ended poorly for the Orioles, who again saw a formidable bullpen crack in a 6-4 loss to the Royals.

Don Markus leads you through the important parts of the Orioles' Game 2 loss to the Royals.

With three home runs, including two in the 10th inning, the Kansas City Royals handed the Orioles a devastating 8-6 loss to take a 1-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Having spent their entire careers in cavernous Kauffman Stadium and the spacious ballparks of the American League Central, longtime Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon and Billy Butler always have welcomed trips to the comparatively cozy Camden Yards.

So much for the Kansas City Royals living up to their reputation as a light-hitting, fleet-footed team that manufactured runs with typical Midwest small-ball.

Royals hit three home runs in extra-inning ALCS victory over the Orioles

Baltimore Sun reporters, columnists and editors share their immediate reaction to Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Orioles and the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards.

It all happened in about a week. Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz experienced a gut-punching low of the postseason and then an exhilarating high -- all without throwing a pitch.

The Kansas City Royals, much like the Orioles, have long pumped the potential in their minor league system as the major league team struggled. And a lot of those prospects were biding their time in Wilmington, Del., home of the High-A Blue Rocks.

There are more similarities between the Orioles and their American League Championship Series opponent, the Kansas City Royals, than not -- they both have solid pitching, stellar bullpens and play exemplary defense -- but the way they score runs is completely different.

The power of the Kansas City Royals' bullpen against the versatility of the Orioles' should make for an American League Championship Series that could be decided early in each game since the relievers don't often break.

Former Mets pitcher Ron Darling will be part of a three-man broadcast booth anchored by play-by-play man Ernie Johnson and former Oriole great Cal Ripken Jr. during the American League Championship Series.

He grew up not far from Baltimore, wore No. 8 in Little League to emulate Cal Ripken Jr., and has many fond memories of his days as a die-hard Orioles fan.

The Orioles open the American League Championship Series on Friday night at Camden Yards against the Kansas City Royals.

The Orioles lost, 9-3, to the Royals on Sunday afternoon, dropping two of three to Kansas City in their weekend series at Camden Yards. The Orioles were outscored, 16-6, over the three games.

Over the first four games of the second half, the Orioles seem to have finally assembled the winning formula of consistent hitting, quality starting pitching and stellar defense.

Jeremy Guthrie received a warm reception from the crowd at Camden Yards when he took the mound Thursday, then the Kansas City Royals right-hander did his part to beat his former team.

For the third straight game, the Orioles won despite being out-hit by their opponent, using stingy defense, clutch late-inning pitching and opportunistic baserunning for a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards.

Orioles outfielder Chris Dickerson is the CEO and co-founder of Players for the Planet, a coalition of nearly 90 professional athletes who partner to promote environmental awareness.

Catcher Matt Wieters is up for his second consecutive American League Gold Glove Award, center fielder Adam Jones will be going for the second (2009) of his career and shortstop J.J. Hardy is seeking his first.

Even though he didn't get the win or even a quality start Sunday, pitcher Tommy Hunter kept the Orioles in the game en route to a 5-3 win over Kansas City. He had a high pitch count early, but finished out the 5th inning — and his start — at 97 pitches, exiting with the score tied at 3.

Royals squeeze out runs late to beat the Orioles

As the Orioles opened their three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Camden Yards, right-hander Jason Hammel recaptured his stellar form of earlier this season and the O's big inning was fueled by two Baltimore base-running blunders.