KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Vinnie Pasquantino and MJ Melendez homered to help the Kansas City Royals beat Baltimore 9-4 on Friday night and stop the Oriolesā€™ four-game winning streak.

Adley Rutschman hit his first career grand slam for the Orioles, a seventh-inning homer off Will Smith.

Dean Kremer (0-2) retired his first 11 batters before Pasquantino drove a 1-1 splitter into the right-field bullpen for his fourth homer.

Pasquantino has four homers and 11 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

ā€œVinnie did a great job getting us going with that homer,ā€ Michael Massey said. ā€œIt felt like one of those nights where we had to scratch and claw, and it broke open late for us.ā€

Returning from the injured list in his season debut, Massey had two hits and two RBIs.

MJ Melendez sparked a five-run sixth with an RBI single that ended an 0-for-23 slide. Massey and Hunter Renfroe each had two-run hits for a 6-0 lead.

ā€œWe were able to find some good at-bats late when we needed to and have a big inning,ā€ Melendez said.

Maikel Garcia stopped an 0-for-26 slide with a leadoff single in the seventh and Melendez hit a three-run homer off Dillon Tate.

ā€œA sinker, middle of the plate,ā€ said Melendez. ā€œDidnā€™t miss it.ā€

Kansas City won its ninth straight home game, their longest home winning streak since May 27-June 15, 2016.

Marsh (3-0) escaped jams in the first and fourth innings, working around a pair of Rutschman singles. Marsh allowed three hits and two walks, striking out six in 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

ā€œWe made a couple of mistakes there in the first with the scoring opportunity, and then with the bases loaded off a guy weā€™ve had a tough time with,ā€ Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. ā€œJust didnā€™t push any runs across.ā€

Kremer allowed three runs, two hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. Three Baltimore relievers surrendered six runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings.

ā€œDean threw the ball great,ā€ Hyde said. ā€œA couple of walks in the sixth, but left with two outs in a 1-0 game. Weā€™ve got to do a batter job of shutting the door for him. We just didnā€™t pitch great out of the pen.ā€

Baltimore stopped a five-game streak of hitting at least three home runs, falling one shy of the major league record set by the 1987 Orioles.

TRAINERā€™S ROOM

Massey was 2 for 4 after recovering from lower back tightness that had sidelined him since spring training. Kansas City optioned infielder Nick Loftin to Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Orioles RHP Corbin Burnes (2-0, 2.28 ERA) opposes Royals LHP Cole Ragans (0-1, 1.93) on Saturday.

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