Sunday afternoon Orioles game thread: at Royals, 2:15

The Orioles have won one of the last nine series they’ve played. Their victim in that one? The Kansas City Royals.

Now there’s a chance to go 2-for-10. And make those bleepin’ Royals pay again.

(Sorry. Still not over 2014.)

Anyway, today the Orioles send Aaron Brooks to the hill. Don’t look now, but Brooks has been on kind of a roll of late. After just getting walloped in start after start, he tossed five innings of one-run ball against the Royals, and then pitched six shutout innings against the Nationals. He struck out 10 batters over those 11 innings, and the Orioles won 8-1 and 2-0, respectively. Talk about giving your team a chance.

Opposing him is Danny Duffy, 5-6 with a 4.93 ERA, who is fresh off the IL. His last appearance was one of his worst starts of the season. He allowed eight runs in 4.2 innings against the Minnesota Twins, and gave up four home runs (though, granted, the Twins are a bunch of Big Als. All they do is hit dingers).

As for the Orioles lineup, Dwight Smith Jr. (remember him?) makes his return after spending all of August at Triple-A. He’s batting seventh and playing left field.

Orioles lineup

Hanser Alberto 3B

Trey Mancini 1B

Anthony Santander RF

Renato Nunez DH

Jonathan Villar 2B

Pedro Severino C

Dwight Smith Jr. LF

Stevie Wilkerson CF

Richie Martin SS

• Aaron Brooks RHP

Royals lineup

Whit Merrifield RF

Adalberto Mondesi SS

Jorge Soler DH

Hunter Dozier 3B

Alex Gordon LF

Ryan O’Hearn 1B

Meibrys Viloria C

Brett Phillips CF

Nicky Lopez 2B

• LHP Danny Duffy