Royals await visit from powerhouse Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles haven't been shy about flexing their muscles.

The Orioles have belted three homers in each of five straight games heading into the opening contest of their three-game series against the host Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Cedric Mullins launched a two-run homer in the ninth inning of Baltimore's 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon. Mullins, who has gone deep in three of his past four contests, is batting 11-for-30 during his nine-game hitting streak.

"It's definitely fun," Mullins said. "We talk all the time about keeping it light, but at the same time, handling our business when it's time. Having that nice mix creates a nice clubhouse environment, and it's showing on the field."

Gunnar Henderson has homered in three consecutive contests and Anthony Santander had a game-tying solo shot in the seventh inning for the Orioles, who have won four in a row and seven of their last nine games.

Baltimore has belted a majors-best 30 homers entering play on Thursday.

"One through nine, we've got a really good lineup each and every day and have the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark, too," first baseman Ryan Mountcastle said. "It's a lot of fun to be a part of -- and watch, too."

Kansas City right-hander Alec Marsh (2-0, 4.32 ERA) will be tasked with keeping the Orioles in check on Friday.

Marsh did precisely that in his lone career start against Baltimore, allowing one run on two hits in seven innings of the Royals' 4-1 victory on April 2. Unfortunately for Kansas City, it lost the other two games of that series.

Marsh, 25, had a tougher time in his most recent outing despite picking up the win. He permitted four runs on five hits in five innings of an 11-7 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.

Baltimore right-hander Dean Kremer (0-1, 4.96) will provide the opposition on Friday.

Kremer, 28, is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in two career starts versus Kansas City after yielding three runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-4 win on April 1. He did not figure in the decision.

Kremer allowed two homers in that game and was taken deep on two occasions last Saturday in an 11-5 setback to the Milwaukee Brewers. He permitted eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits in four innings.

Kremer would be wise to pitch carefully to Salvador Perez, who belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning of the Royals' 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader.

"Clearly, that home run was the huge point in the game," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. "But regardless, I thought (Perez) looked really good prior to that, too."

Perez has gone deep three times in his last five games overall and launched a two-run homer off Kremer on April 1.

The Royals rebounded from their series loss to Baltimore by winning 10 of their next 12 games before mustering just five hits in a 2-1 setback in the nightcap on Wednesday.

--Field Level Media