Royals shake up lineup, beat Orioles

All the Kansas City Royals needed … was a little shake up to their lineup.

Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer homered in a four-run fourth inning, Jeremy Guthrie pitched effectively against his former team and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 Thursday night to avoid a three-game sweep.

Gordon and Hosmer both connected against Freddy Garcia (0-1) with a runner on. It was Gordon’s third home run in three games and Hosmer’s first in 145 at-bats dating back to last year.

Mike Moustakas also homered for the Royals, who snapped a three-game skid and averted being swept for the first time this season.

Facing the Orioles for the first time since they traded him to Colorado in February 2012, Guthrie (5-0) allowed one earned run, seven hits and three walks in six innings to lower his ERA to 2.28.