Nicky Lopez had a home run and an RBI single for the first two runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Baltimore Orioles 6-0 on Thursday to earn a split of the teams' four-game series.

Carlos Hernandez (6-1) allowed just three hits with six scoreless innings for the win. He struck out one and walked three. Domingo Tapia (two innings) and Scott Barlow (one innings) completed the three-hit shutout, one night after the Kansas City bullpen allowed nine runs in the eighth inning.

John Means (5-7) took the loss with the lack of run support. He allowed two runs (one scored after he left the game) on five hits in seven-plus innings. He walked two and fanned five.

Lopez put the Royals (63-77) on the scoreboard with a one-out home run in the first inning. It was Lopez's second home run of the season, and it extended his on-base streak to a career-high 19 games.

The Orioles (45-94) had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the second with three consecutive singles. However, they got a little greedy and catcher Pedro Severino was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Andrew Benintendi on Baltimore's last hit of the night.

Hernandez struggled with his control but kept the Orioles off the board, stranding five runners in the second through fourth innings.

It was the sixth time this season Means has pitched seven or more innings but the first time since May 24.

Lopez singled with one out in the eighth, driving in Hunter Dozier and extending the lead. Dozier led off the eighth with a double that ended Means' night. Salvador Perez followed Lopez's single with one of his own. Benintendi drove in Lopez with his own RBI single, and Carlos Santana drove in the third run of the inning with a groundout.

Dozier hit a two-run home run in the ninth for the final Kansas City runs.

--Field Level Media