Mondesi has big game in return from IL as Royals top O’s 6-4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adalberto Mondesi matched a career high with four hits and stole three bases in his return from the injured list, leading the Kansas City Royals past the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 on Sunday.

Meibrys Viloria drove in the go-ahead run for the Royals with a two-out single in the seventh inning. Kansas City took two of three in a series between struggling teams.

Mondesi, who spent 41 games on the IL, led off the seventh with his third hit and stole second. With two outs, Alex Gordon drove him in with a tying double, and Gordon scored on Viloria’s single to make it 5-4.

Whit Merrifield added a solo homer in the eighth.

Kevin McCarthy (3-2) tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the win. Ian Kennedy pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save in 28 chances.

Paul Fry (1-7) took the loss.

Royals starter Danny Duffy was solid in his return from the injured list. He gave up four runs (three earned) and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Baltimore scored in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Renato Nunez.

Kansas City came right back with three runs in the bottom half. Hunter Dozier drove in Mondesi and Jorge Soler with an opposite-field double. Dozier scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s single.

The Orioles tied it with four straight hits in the third. Richie Martin and Hanser Alberto scored on Trey Mancini’s single.

Baltimore regained the lead in the sixth when Jonathan Villar’s speed helped manufacture a run, with the aid of a throwing error by Viloria behind the plate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Shawn Armstrong was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. He had been out since Aug. 22 with a right forearm strain. … OF Mark Trumbo is expected to be activated Monday before Baltimore plays at Tampa Bay.

Royals: Duffy, Mondesi and catcher Cam Gallagher were activated from the 10-day IL. Duffy had been sidelined since Aug. 4 with a left hamstring strain. Mondesi had been out since July 17 with a left shoulder injury, and Gallagher had been on the IL since Aug. 5 with a left oblique strain. Gallagher is not expected to play against this season, except in an emergency. “I’m not playing him,” manager Ned Yost said.

ROSTER MOVES

With rosters expanding, the Orioles recalled OF Dwight Smith Jr., RHP Branden Kline and LHP Tanner Scott from the minors. Kansas City recalled RHP Heath Fillmyer from Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (2-7, 5.12 ERA) starts Monday afternoon when Baltimore begins a three-game series at Tampa Bay. With Hurricane Dorian bearing down on Florida, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games have been rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader Tuesday.

Royals: LHP Mike Montgomery (3-7, 4.66) pitches Tuesday at home against Detroit.