Kansas City, MO – Kris Bubic delivered a stellar performance on the mound, taking a shutout bid deep into the seventh inning, as the Kansas City Royals secured their first series victory of the 2025 season with a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
Bubic (2-0) was dominant through 6 2/3 innings, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out eight Baltimore batters. His impressive streak of 12 consecutive scoreless innings came to an end in the seventh when Ryan Mountcastle led off with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch from Bubic.
The Royals’ offense provided ample support, tallying 13 hits against Orioles pitching. Bobby Witt Jr. was a standout, collecting three hits and falling just a home run short of completing the cycle. Salvador Perez, Mark Canha, and Maikel Garcia each contributed two hits and scored a run for Kansas City.
Carlos Estévez shut the door in the ninth inning, earning his second save of the season with a hitless frame. This series win marks a significant milestone for the Royals, who swept the Orioles in the wild-card round last year. It is their first regular-season series victory against Baltimore since August 30th to September 1st, 2019, breaking a streak of six series losses and two ties against the Orioles.
A pivotal moment in the game came in the bottom of the first inning when Orioles center fielder Jorge Mateo, making his first start at the position since April 20, 2024, misplayed a slicing liner off the bat of Bobby Witt Jr. into a triple. This error paved the way for a three-run opening frame for the Royals.
Freddy Fermin contributed an RBI single in the second inning, snapping an 0-for-12 slump and extending the Royals’ lead. Eight of the first 11 Kansas City batters recorded hits, propelling them to a 4-0 advantage.
Orioles starting pitcher Cade Povich (0-1) struggled, surrendering four runs on a career-high 13 hits over six innings while striking out four. Mountcastle accounted for the majority of the Baltimore offense, collecting three of their five total hits.
The Kansas City Royals will begin a four-game homestand today as they welcome the Minnesota Twins to Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 4.50 ERA) is slated to start for the Twins, while the Royals will counter with right-hander Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 5.06 ERA). Pregame coverage will begin at 6 p.m. on SuperStar Country 102.5 FM & 1530 AM, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT.
