Orioles host the Royals in first of 3-game series

Kansas City Royals (8-15, fourth in the AL Central) vs. Baltimore Orioles (10-15, fourth in the AL East)

Baltimore; Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Carlos Hernandez (0-1, 6.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, eight strikeouts); Orioles: Jordan Lyles (2-1, 2.95 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 18 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals on Friday to begin a three-game series.

Baltimore is 10-15 overall and 7-6 at home. The Orioles have a 6-2 record in games when they scored five or more runs.

Kansas City is 8-15 overall and 6-9 in home games. The Royals have gone 3-7 in games when they record eight or more hits.

The matchup Friday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Hays ranks third on the Orioles with a .286 batting average, and has seven doubles, two home runs, nine walks and nine RBI. Cedric Mullins is 13-for-41 with two home runs and three RBI over the last 10 games.

Salvador Perez leads Kansas City with five home runs while slugging .378. Bobby Witt Jr. is 10-for-34 with a home run and three RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Orioles: 4-6, .253 batting average, 4.09 ERA, outscored by five runs

Royals: 3-7, .221 batting average, 4.30 ERA, outscored by 16 runs

INJURIES: Orioles: Alexander Wells: 10-Day IL (elbow), Chris Ellis: 10-Day IL (shoulder), John Means: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dean Kremer: 10-Day IL (oblique)

Royals: Carlos Santana: 10-Day IL (ankle), Cam Gallagher: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Brentz: 10-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi: 10-Day IL (knee), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.