GAME THREAD: AL: BALTIMORE (25-27) at KANSAS CITY (19-34)

Bedard shuts down Kansas City to complete three-game sweep

<h3>BALTIMORE 3, KANSAS CITY 0</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The hot Baltimore Orioles'bats took the night off Wednesday in Kansas City, but EricBedard made sure it didn't matter.

Bedard allowed just four singles over seven outstanding inningsto collect his first victory since April 18 as the Orioles beatthe Royals, 3-0, in a game that was delayed by rain at the startfor 1 hour, 36 minutes.

Jay Payton snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI single in theseventh and Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer in the ninth forBaltimore, which extended its winning streak to a season-bestfive games.

Bedard (4-3) threw eight innings, allowing four hits and twowalks while striking out five. He retired the last 11 battershe faced.

Chris Ray came on to pitch a perfect ninth for his 12th save,giving Baltimore its first three-game sweep in Kansas City sinceApril 26-28, 2002. Kansas City righthander Gil Meche matchedBedard pitch-for-pitch until the eighth. Ramon Hernandez walkedto lead off the eighth and was replaced by pinch runner Bynum.

Corey Patterson reached on a bunt single and Brian Robertsadvanced both with a sacrifice before Payton guided a grounderthrough the left side of a drawn-in infield to plate the firstrun of the game.

In his first start since allowing a career-high 11 hits Fridayagainst Seattle, Meche allowing only a pair of singles throughseven innings.

Meche (3-4) left his previous start after 4 1-3 innings due toback stiffness. On Wednesday he went 7 1/3 innings, allowingfour hits and one run, with four walks and five strikeouts.

Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora had the only other hits forBaltimore, leading off the second and seventh innings, but theydidn't advance past first base.

Markakis, who entered as a defensive substitution, hit a two-runhomer in the ninth off Zack Greinke for a 3-0 edge.

One night after collecting a season-low three hits, the Royalsmanaged just four singles and had just one runner past firstbase the entire game. The Royals have lost a season-worst sevenstraight.

 

Bedard shuts down Kansas City to complete three-game sweep

<h3>BALTIMORE 3, KANSAS CITY 0</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The hot Baltimore Orioles'bats took the night off Wednesday in Kansas City, but ErikBedard made sure it didn't matter.

Bedard allowed just four singles over seven outstanding inningsto collect his first victory since April 18 as the Orioles beatthe Royals, 3-0, in a game that was delayed by rain at the startfor 1 hour, 36 minutes.

Jay Payton snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI single in theseventh and Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer in the ninth forBaltimore, which extended its winning streak to a season-bestfive games.

Bedard (4-3) threw eight innings, allowing four hits and twowalks while striking out five. He retired the last 11 battershe faced.

Chris Ray came on to pitch a perfect ninth for his 12th save,giving Baltimore its first three-game sweep in Kansas City sinceApril 26-28, 2002. Kansas City righthander Gil Meche matchedBedard pitch-for-pitch until the eighth. Ramon Hernandez walkedto lead off the eighth and was replaced by pinch runner Bynum.

Corey Patterson reached on a bunt single and Brian Robertsadvanced both with a sacrifice before Payton guided a grounderthrough the left side of a drawn-in infield to plate the firstrun of the game.

In his first start since allowing a career-high 11 hits Fridayagainst Seattle, Meche allowing only a pair of singles throughseven innings.

Meche (3-4) left his previous start after 4 1-3 innings due toback stiffness. On Wednesday he went 7 1/3 innings, allowingfour hits and one run, with four walks and five strikeouts.

Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora had the only other hits forBaltimore, leading off the second and seventh innings, but theydidn't advance past first base.

Markakis, who entered as a defensive substitution, hit a two-runhomer in the ninth off Zack Greinke for a 3-0 edge.

One night after collecting a season-low three hits, the Royalsmanaged just four singles and had just one runner past firstbase the entire game. The Royals have lost a season-worst sevenstraight.

 

Bedard shuts down Kansas City to complete three-game sweep

<h3>BALTIMORE 3, KANSAS CITY 0</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The hot Baltimore Orioles'bats took the night off Wednesday in Kansas City, but ErikBedard made sure it didn't matter.

Bedard allowed just four singles over seven outstanding inningsto collect his first victory since April 18 as the Orioles beatthe Royals, 3-0, in a game that was delayed by rain at the startfor 1 hour, 36 minutes.

Jay Payton snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI single in theseventh and Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer in the ninth forBaltimore, which extended its winning streak to a season-bestfive games.

Bedard (4-3) threw eight innings, allowing four hits and twowalks while striking out five. He retired the last 11 battershe faced.

Chris Ray came on to pitch a perfect ninth for his 12th save,giving Baltimore its first three-game sweep in Kansas City sinceApril 26-28, 2002. Kansas City righthander Gil Meche matchedBedard pitch-for-pitch until the eighth. Ramon Hernandez walkedto lead off the eighth and was replaced by pinch runner Bynum.

Corey Patterson reached on a bunt single and Brian Robertsadvanced both with a sacrifice before Payton guided a grounderthrough the left side of a drawn-in infield to plate the firstrun of the game.

In his first start since allowing a career-high 11 hits Fridayagainst Seattle, Meche allowing only a pair of singles throughseven innings.

Meche (3-4) left his previous start after 4 1-3 innings due toback stiffness. On Wednesday he went 7 1/3 innings, allowingfour hits and one run, with four walks and five strikeouts.

Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora had the only other hits forBaltimore, leading off the second and seventh innings, but theydidn't advance past first base.

Markakis, who entered as a defensive substitution, hit a two-runhomer in the ninth off Zack Greinke for a 3-0 edge.

One night after collecting a season-low three hits, the Royalsmanaged just four singles and had just one runner past firstbase the entire game. The Royals have lost a season-worst sevenstraight.

 

Bedard shuts down Kansas City to complete three-game sweep

<h3>BALTIMORE 3, KANSAS CITY 0</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The hot Baltimore Orioles'bats took the night off Wednesday in Kansas City, but ErikBedard made sure it didn't matter.

Bedard allowed just four singles over eight outstanding inningsto collect his first victory since April 18 as the Orioles beatthe Royals, 3-0, in a game that was delayed by rain at the startfor 1 hour, 36 minutes.

Jay Payton snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI single in theseventh and Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer in the ninth forBaltimore, which extended its winning streak to a season-bestfive games.

"Eric pitched a great game," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said."It was a great effort. It was a great pitched game and we hadsome key hits. Everyone executed tonight and it paid off."

Bedard (4-3) threw eight innings, allowing four hits and twowalks while striking out five. He retired the last 11 battershe faced.

"I was throwing strikes and they were aggressive early in thecount," Bedard said. "I made some good pitches when it counted.It's always tough when it's 0-0 late in the game, but I stayedin there and battled. I made some good pitches at the righttime."

"He persevered," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. "Bedard wasoutstanding the whole ballgame. I can't say enough about whathis effort was tonight. He sucked it up for us extra well, andthen went back out there and stayed in for eight innings, andthat's what we needed."

Chris Ray came on to pitch a perfect ninth for his 12th save,giving Baltimore its first three-game sweep in Kansas City sinceApril 26-28, 2002. Kansas City righthander Gil Meche matchedBedard pitch-for-pitch until the eighth.

Ramon Hernandez walked to lead off the eighth and was replacedby pinch runner Freddie Bynum before Corey Patterson reached ona bunt single.

"Everybody knew in that situation I was bunting," Pattersonsaid. "I just wanted to make sure to get it down. I got a goodtouch on it and was able to beat it out. It gave us a lotbetter chance with first and second and none out than secondwith one out."

Brian Roberts advanced both with a sacrifice before Paytonguided a grounder through the left side of a drawn-in infield toplate the first run of the game.

"I love playing the game in that kind of situation," Paytonsaid. "That's what it's all about. I was fortunate to get theball through the infield and helped us win a ballgame."

"He likes the stage a little bit," Perlozzo said of Payton. "Hebears down. He likes being 'the guy.'"

Despite allowing no more than three runs in any of his last fivestarts, Bedard had not been the winner in his last sevenstarts.

"It was a long time ago," Bedard said of his last victory. "It'spart of the game. It happened the first two years. Ithappened last year. It happens every year. You'll go throughstretches of pitching well where you just don't get the win."

In his first start since allowing a career-high 11 hits Fridayagainst Seattle, Meche allowed only a pair of singles throughseven innings.

"I'm not disappointed with the way I threw," Meche said. "I'mdisappointed in the result, but I'll take that kind of pitchingevery time. It's a different feeling when you pitch well andlose than when you pitch well and win."

Meche (3-4) left his previous start after 4 1-3 innings due toback stiffness. On Wednesday he went 7 1-3 innings, allowingfour hits and one run, with four walks and five strikeouts.

"My back didn't really both me that much tonight," Meche said."It got a little fatigued in the eighth and the seventh innings,but it wasn't a problem. I wasn't able to make the pitches Ineeded to get out of jams. I knew I had good stuff coming outof the bullpen to start the game. I had a good fastball andthat made everything else good, too. But, Bedard isn't a slouchand he had his 'A' game."

Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora had the only other hits forBaltimore, leading off the second and seventh innings, but theydidn't advance past first base.

 

Bedard shuts down Kansas City to complete three-game sweep*
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BALTIMORE 3, KANSAS CITY 0
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The hot Baltimore Orioles'
bats took the