Orioles tie MLB record for HRs allowed, beat Royals 8-1

The Orioles tied a major league record by allowing their 258th home run this season but hit four of their own in an 8-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Anthony Santander and Renato Núñez hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning for Baltimore, which won its first series since July 25-27 at the Los Angeles Angels.

Jonathan Villar opened the scoring with a two-run shot, while Hanser Alberto put the game away with a three-run blast in the sixth.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert leaps but is unable to catch a single by Baltimore Orioles' DJ Stewart during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)

Whit Merrifield homered leading off the third for Kansas City. The 2016 Cincinnati Reds owned the previous record for home runs allowed in a season, but the Orioles have 35 games to surpass them.

Long balls have hampered Baltimore all season. The Yankees hit 61 homers off Orioles pitching this season, a record for one team against another.

Aaron Brooks (3-7) picked up his first win in eight starts with the Orioles since being claimed on waivers from Oakland on July 6. He allowed one run and seven hits with four strikeouts over five innings.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Mike Montgomery (21) walks near the mound after allowing a two-run home run to Baltimore Orioles' Jonathan Villar, back, during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)

Villar put the Orioles ahead 2-0 in the second with his homer off Mike Montgomery (2-4), whose streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings was snapped. Stevie Wilkerson later hit an RBI double. He finished with a career-high three hits.

Santander and Núñez, who hit his 28th homer, made it 5-1 in the fifth, and Alberto increased the margin in the sixth.

The Royals fell to 1-11 in rubber games this year.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Aaron Brooks throws to a Kansas City Royals batter during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: SS Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) was fine after a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Omaha. Mondesi, who served as DH, was scheduled to play 3-to-5 innings in the field on Wednesday. ... Manager Ned Yost hasn't decided whether LHP Danny Duffy (left hamstring strain) will return to the rotation this weekend. Duffy threw 65 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday. "We could either have him do a live rehab or put him back in the rotation," Yost said.

Orioles: OF Dwight Smith Jr. (left calf strain) started in left field at Triple-A Norfolk on a rehab assignment Wednesday after serving as the DH the prior two games.

A crowd watches the third inning of a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)

UP NEXT

Royals: Resume a suspended game Thursday in Boston with a 2-1 count on catcher Meibrys Viloria in the top of the 10th inning. The teams were tied 4-4 before the game on Aug. 7 was interrupted by rain. Zach Plesac (6-4, 3.53 ERA) starts the opener Friday in Cleveland against Jakob Junis (8-11, 4.78).

Orioles: RHP Asher Wojciechowski (2-6, 4.78) has lost his last three decisions and will match up against Tampa Bay LHP Ryan Yarbrough (11-3, 3.34) on Thursday.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Aaron Brooks, left, reacts after allowing a solo home run to Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield, right, during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)

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Baltimore Orioles' DJ Stewart (24) gets caught in a pickle as Kansas City Royals first baseman Ryan O'Hearn (66) chases him during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)