KANSAS CITY -- Rookie Tyler Wilson navigated through five-plus serviceable innings, and Chris Davis homered among his four hits as the Orioles evened the series with an 8-3 win over the Royals on Saturday night in front of 39,900 fans at Kauffman Stadium.
Wilson gave up six hits and three runs and held the Royals off in a spot start. Reliever Mychal Givens pitched out of a bases-loaded one-out jam in the sixth inning by getting two strikeouts.
"The biggest thing was that we came out with a win," Wilson said. "I know it's cliche, but I'm really happy to take the ball in any capacity, whatever it is."

Kris Medlen started for the Royals and gave up nine hits and seven runs in 3 2/3 innings.
"I was leaving pitches arm side, and pushing everything," Medlen said. "When I was trying to go inside it was middle to righties, then when I tried to go middle it was outside.
"It's a tough lineup even when you're executing pitches, let alone when you're not."
Eight of the Orioles' starting nine reached base, with Davis tying the team lead with six homers and Mark Trumbo going 3-for-5 with four RBIs.

"That was a close game last night and they were just a little better," Trumbo said. "But, I think, the confidence was high going into tonight and we come away with a nice win."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Wilson impresses: Given the spot start, with an Orioles rotation that has struggled to produce, Wilson held his own through five innings. Logging 70 pitches, Wilson -- who made the Opening Day roster out of the bullpen -- was economical and impressive in allowing three runs, two of which came on Perez's two-run shot. More >
"The next pitch was a strike [after Perez]. How many times do you see the next four pitches be scuds and then somebody walks. Those are little things when you're evaluating people you look for. And that plays into it when you're evaluating somebody," manager Buck Showalter said.
"It's more than just lighting up a gun. He was carrying a good fastball tonight. A couple at 94, but in a time of need with [Yovani] Gallardo out, he stepped up tonight."
The double-play that wasn't: The Royals and Medlen could have gotten out of the Orioles' big four-run fourth with no damage. With one out and a runner on first, Joey Rickard, who has speed, beat out what looked like a sure double-play ball to short. Shortstop Alcides Escobar made an accurate, albeit somewhat soft, toss to second baseman Omar Infante, whose throw to first was just late. Baltimore then poured on four runs and chased Medlen. More >

Escobar thought they had the double play, but he was surprised at Rickard's speed.
"I threw it right away, Omar threw it right away," Escobar said. "He can run."
"We could have turned it," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "But we still have to find ways to cover it. But it blew up into four runs."
Big Sal stays hot: Royals catcher Salvador Perez clubbed a two-run homer in the second, tying the score at 2. That was Perez's third homer on the homestand and fourth on the season. He also has eight RBIs on the homestand.

Givens gets it done: Entering the sixth inning with one out and the bases loaded, the Os righty won an eight-pitch battle with Perez and also struck out Infante to preserve Wilson's line. Lefty Brian Matusz allowed two baserunners in between. Givens went on to record four outs, lowering his ERA to 3.00.

"One of the things is because the fastball is so good guys have to cheat to get there and they become more susceptible to the breaking ball. [Givens has] gotten lazy with a couple earlier in the season and got burned for them when he just flipped them over," Showalter said.
"He can get by with that in [Double-A] Bowie, you can't get by with that here. And he knows that. He needs to throw a quality slider and not say well they're not looking for this, I'll just flip it in there. I think that shows some maturity and Matt [Wieters] stayed with it."
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Manny Machado's first-inning single extended his hitting streak to 16 games, just one shy of the club record for the longest streak to start a season -- held by Davey Johnson (17 in 1971).

KIM DRIVES 'EM IN
Making just his third career start, Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim picked up his first Major League RBI with a second-inning single.

QUOTABLE
"He is hitting the ball, it's kind of a level above. His line drives, you know he is able to burn a few of those outfielders, just because he gets tremendous backspin. His approach has been rock-solid. Patient when he needs to be and when he is getting his pitch, he is doing a lot of damage." --Trumbo, on Machado
WHAT'S NEXT
Orioles: Right-hander Mike Wright (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will take the mound for the finale of this set against the Royals on Sunday at 2:15 p.m. ET. Wright went six innings last Tuesday and turned in a quality start against the Blue Jays despite not having his best stuff..
Royals: Right-hander Yordano Ventura (1-0, 2.81) gets the start in the series finale on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. CT. He is 3-1 career against the O's, including six shutout innings with 11 Ks against them in a start last August.
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