BALTIMORE _ With a three-run home run to left-center field, Hanser Alberto ended the Orioles' search for their first victory in nine games and Hunter Harvey's six-year pursuit of a major league win.
Alberto's eighth-inning, tiebreaking homer pushed the Orioles past the Kansas City Royals, 4-1, after they had lost eight straight and 13 of 14. Harvey, the Orioles' 2013 first-round pick, made his second career appearance and pitched a scoreless eighth in a 1-1 game, earning his first win.
The Orioles (40-86) trailed until the seventh, when Rio Ruiz's RBI single evened the game to spare right-hander Dylan Bundy from what would've been a hard-luck loss after seven one-run innings.
After Harvey's scoreless eighth, Trey Mancini walked and Jace Peterson did the same two outs later. Alberto then punished Jacob Barnes' 1-1 cutter for his eighth home run of the year.
Mychal Givens earned his 10th save with a scoreless ninth.
Harvey's electric stuff made its Camden Yards debut Tuesday, with the rookie right-hander making his first appearance since his scoreless debut in Boston on Saturday night. The outing followed a minor league journey that saw him miss most or all of three seasons with an elbow injury and most of last year after suffering a shoulder injury dodging a foul ball hit into the dugout.
Although his debut was scoreless and featured two strikeouts, Tuesday's showing was perhaps more impressive, with Harvey retiring all three batters he faced in the eighth inning of a tie game, including strikeouts of All-Star Whit Merrifield and Royals home run leader Jorge Soler. He punctuated his outing by catching Soler looking on a 99.8-mph fastball, the third-hardest pitch an Oriole has thrown this season.
Statcast tracked 11 of Harvey's 20 offerings at 98 mph or higher.
Throughout the Orioles' recent stretch of troubles, Bundy had been their best starter and Tuesday he provided their best start.
His seven one-run innings came on only 83 pitches as he cruised after allowing back-to-back singles and a sacrifice fly to start the second inning. He struck out the next two Royals on three pitches each.
A single and walk in the third put another Royals runner in scoring position, but Bundy worked out of the jam and ended his outing with five scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits from the fourth inning on and eliminated both runners on double plays, striking out seven.
