Orioles lose to Royals 6-4, behind 2-0 in ALCS

BALTIMORE (AP) If Adam Jones was deflated after his Baltimore Orioles dropped the opening two games of the AL Championship Series at home against the Kansas City Royals, he was not about to let on.

''Let's get back after it. We're going to go to K.C. We've been a very good team on the road,'' Jones said. ''So let's go there and have some fun, eat some barbecue.''

Jones' first career postseason homer went for naught Saturday, as closer Zach Britton and the rest of Baltimore's suddenly shaky bullpen picked a terrible time to lose consecutive home games for the first time since June. Erasing deficits but unable to take a lead, the Orioles were beaten by the wild-card Royals 6-4 when Britton gave up the tiebreaking hit in the ninth inning.

The series shifts to Kansas City for Game 3 on Monday, and now the Orioles must try to do something no team ever has: win a best-of-seven LCS after losing the first two games at home.

Baseball expanded this round from best-of-five in 1985, and Baltimore is the 12th club to fall behind 2-0 after opening at home, according to STATS. None of the other 11 even managed to get to a Game 7; six were swept.

''The series ain't over. If you guys (are) thinking it's over, why are we going to show up on Monday?'' said Jones, whose two-run homer temporarily tied Saturday's game at 3. ''I count on my team. My team counts on me. We'll be back here in Baltimore.''

To do that, the Orioles would need to win at least two of the next three games against an opponent that is 6-0 in this year's playoffs.

Jones is right about his club's success on trips: Its 46-35 away record was tied for second-best in the AL in 2014. Who had 47 wins? The Royals, of course.

''To play in your home yard and lose two is tough,'' said Bud Norris, who gave up four runs in 4 1-3 innings, the second day in a row Baltimore's starting pitcher lasted only that long.

The Orioles had not lost twice in a row at Camden Yards since June 28-29, when they dropped a pair to Tampa Bay. Since then, they had been 33-10 in Baltimore until an 8-6 defeat in Game 1, when Orioles relievers Darren O'Day and Brian Matusz allowed homers in the 10th inning.

This time, after falling behind 3-1 and 4-3, the Orioles were even at 4 entering the ninth. But O'Day gave up an infield single to Omar Infante. Royals manager Ned Yost had Mike Moustakas - he of the four homers in six playoff games - drop down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner Terrance Gore into scoring position.

It worked. The first pitch Britton threw to Alcides Escobar was sliced down the right-field line for a go-ahead RBI double. After a fielding error by third baseman Ryan Flaherty, Lorenzo Cain singled through the left side to make it 6-4 - and match George Brett as the only Royals with a four-hit postseason game.

''They do a good job of putting the ball in play,'' said O'Day, who took the loss in both ALCS games. ''If they hit a ball harder, it's an out. If they hit a ball softer, it's an out.''

A few hours before Game 2 began, Orioles manager Buck Showalter was asked whether there is any different sort of tension once a team is trailing in a series.

''Yeah, can't you tell? God forbid, we might get down two,'' Showalter responded, sarcastic as can be. ''The world doesn't end. ... You don't, `Woe is me, the sky is falling.' ... You turn the page emotionally and mentally.''

That's what he might have hoped would happen, especially after his club dropped a Game 1 in which it fell behind 4-0 and 5-1, then forced extra innings.

Game 2 followed a similar pattern.

''Sometimes you spend so much energy and concentration trying to get back (even),'' Showalter said afterward, ''it's hard to take that next step.''

UP NEXT

On Monday, the Orioles go up against a familiar face: Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie pitched for Baltimore from 2007-11. ''History will be put, not even on a back burner, but on some kind of ... Lazy Susan or something,'' he said. Showalter didn't announce his Game 3 starter.

CRUZ'S STREAK

Orioles DH Nelson Cruz went 2 for 4, extending his streak to a record six straight multihit postseason games.

LINEUP TWEAK

Orioles C Caleb Joseph entered in an 0-for-33 slump, but his sac fly drove in Baltimore's first run and he singled twice. He also threw out Jarrod Dyson when he tried to steal second.