KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alex Gordon had two firsts Sunday: six RBIs and a curtain call.
Gordon went 4 for 4 with a pair of three-run homers and a career-high six RBIs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-6.
Gordon drove a 1-1 pitch from Ubaldo Jimenez (2-5) out to right with two outs in the fifth with Nori Aoki and Billy Butler aboard. Gordon, who led the Royals with 20 home runs last year, had gone 134 at-bats without a home run.
Gordon homered in his next at-bat, a three-run shot off left-hander Troy Patton in the seventh after Eric Hosmer walked and Butler doubled for his third hit.
The Kauffman Stadium crowd then gave Gordon a lengthy standing ovation, calling him out of the dugout. Gordon said he had "never" had a curtain call.
"I didn't know what to do," Gordon said. "They told me just to go wave my helmet. They just started yelling at me. I was downstairs enjoying the moment."
It was Gordon's third career multiple home run game. His six RBIs matched a Royals' season high. His four hits matched a career high, the 10th time he has accomplished that.
Greg Holland got the final two outs for his 12th save in 13 appearances.
James Shields (6-3) picked up his fifth victory in six starts, holding the Orioles to 3 runs and 9 hits over 7 innings. Shields won back-to-back starts at Kauffman Stadium for the first time.
Athletics 13, Indians 3 Yoenis Cespedes drove in a career-high five runs, Brandon Moss had three RBIs, and visiting Oakland completed a three-game sweep with a victory over slumping Cleveland.
MARINERS 6, TWINS 2 Felix Hernandez (5-1) pitched eight strong innings, giving up two runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking one, while Robinson Cano had four hits to help visiting Seattle defeat Minnesota.
ASTROS 8, WHITE SOX 2 Matt Dominguez homered twice and had four RBIs to lead host Houston Astros to a victory over Chicago.
RANGERS 6, BLUE JAYS 2 Mitch Moreland hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, Alex Rios had a two-run triple and host Texas avoided a three-game sweep with a victory over Toronto.
ANGELS 6, RAYS 2 Albert Pujols hit two solo home runs against David Price, and Matt Shoemaker took a shutout into the seventh inning to lead host Los Angeles over Tampa Bay.
National League
BRAVES 6, CARDINALS 5 Ryan Doumit scored on a wild pitch and visiting Atlanta Braves got two runs in the ninth inning to rally past St. Louis.
NATIONALS 6, METS 3 Wilson Ramos drove in four runs and Ian Desmond homered to help Jordan Zimmermann and host Washington beat New York.
PHILLIES 8, REDS 3 Cody Asche, Jimmy Rollins, Wil Nieves and Marlon Byrd all homered, and host Philadelphia beat Cincinnati.
CUBS 4, BREWERS 2 Travis Wood (Bryant) got into trouble in the first inning when he walked the bases loaded, but retired 19 of his final 21 batters and pitched two-hit ball for seven innings, imrpoving to 4-4, as host Chicago beat Milwaukee.
GIANTS 4, MARLINS 1 Pablo Sandoval homered for the first time in more than a month, Ryan Vogelsong won for just the second time in nine starts, and host San Francisco beat Miami.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, DODGERS 3 Cody Ross hit his first home run of the year, Eric Chavez went deep for the second consecutive day and host Arizona beat Los Angeles.
ROCKIES 8, PADRES 6 (10) Justin Morneau hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning and host Colorado turned just the third triple play in team history as they beat the San Diego.
Interleague
YANKEES 4-3, PIRATES 3-5 Josh Harrison homered in the seventh inning to make up for a baserunning blunder and made a diving catch in left field to help preserve the Pittsburgh Pirates' first win in the Bronx in 54 years, 5-3 over the New York Yankees on Sunday for a doubleheader split.
Sports on 05/19/2014