Bannister helps Royals end 12-game slide against Orioles

Brian Bannister allowed two singles in eight innings and the Kansas City Royals beat Baltimore 4-0 Sunday to end their 12-game skid against the Orioles.

It was Kansas City´s first victory over Baltimore since July 25, 2006.

Bannister struck out five and walked two to end a personal four-game losing streak. He did not allow a runner to reach second. Joakim Soria tossed a perfect ninth to finish Kansas City´s fourth shutout of the year.

Bannister was 0-4 with an 8.02 ERA and had allowed 33 hits in 21 1-3 innings over his previous four starts. He held the Orioles to one hit _ a Guillermo Quiroz line drive single to right in the third _ in the first six innings and quickly erased him when Luis Hernandez grounded into a double play.

The only other hit Bannister (4-4) allowed was a two-out Luke Scott single in the seventh.

Brian Burres (3-4) allowed four runs and nine hits in six-plus innings for the Orioles.

The Royals led 2-0 after six innings. Jose Guillen singled and scored on Mark Teahen´s base hit in the second. Guillen also doubled in Alex Gordon in the third.

Burres, who has lost three consecutive starts, left after walking Joey Gathright and allowing David DeJesus´ single with no outs in the seventh. Gathright eventually scored when Gordon grounded into a fielder´s choice, and Billy Butler singled in DeJesus.

Gathright took an extra-base hit away from Adam Jones when he made a leaping catch before crashing into the center-field fence in the second.