KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer was looking to make amends for his error that led to two unearned runs. Hosmer hit two homer and Alcides Escobar drove in the winning run in the ninth to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. After Hosmer failed to handle Adam Jones bouncer in the fourth, Matt Wieters hit a two-run two-out homer off Ervin Santana. "It stinks when you make an error and two batters later a guy hits a two-run homer," Hosmer said. "I wanted a chance to redeem myself." Both of Hosmers home runs were off left-hander Wei-Yen Chen. Hosmer is hitting .333 against left-handers. "I guess so," Hosmer said. "Thats what the numbers say." But he entered the game with only one home run in 104 at-bats off left-handers. Hosmer homered in the first and his two-run home run in the eighth tied the score at 3. It was Hosmers third career multi-homer game and his second this season. David Lough singled and scored the game-ending run when Escobar doubled off the fence in left-centre with one out in the ninth. "When I hit it, I thought there was a chance it was gone," Escobar said. "I wasnt trying to hit a home run." Instead, Nate McLouth nearly caught it at the wall. "I was about 3, 4, 5 inches away from catching it," McLouth said. "I didnt miss it by very much." Instead, the ball kicked away off the top padding, giving Lough enough time to score from first. Darren ODay (5-1) took the loss, while Luke Hochevar (3-1), picked up the victory after working a scoreless ninth. "I was trying to throw away and it got in," ODay said of Escobars first-pitch double "Nate gave it a good try." Chen, who went on the disabled list May 13 with a right oblique strain before returning July 10, departed after Hosmers second home run with Lorenzo Cain aboard with one out in the eighth. Chen gave up a home run to Hosmer on a full-count pitch in the first inning. Chen had not permitted a home run in his previous four starts. He retired the next 12 hitters after Hosmers first home run until Escobars single in the fifth. "He just made a couple of mistakes and the ball ran back over the plate," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "They were very similar pitches. He was really good. "He threw the ball really well. For us not to score much and still have the lead, thats a tribute to Santana and Chen, both. I thought Wei-Yin pitched as well as Santana did, or better." A bevy of scouts were in attendance to watch Santana. The right-hander can be a free agent after this season and it has been reported he would be dealt before the July 31 trading deadline without a player having to clear waivers. "Not at all," Santana said of the attention he pays to trade rumours. "If anything is going to happen, its going to happen no matter what." Santana gave up three runs, only one earned, on seven hits in eight innings to lower his ERA to 3.06, which ranks eighth in the American League. "Santana is a good pitcher," McLouth said. "That run in the eighth I thought was going to be big. He throws three pitches for strikes. His slider is one of the best. He keeps it low. Hes throwing in the low 90s and he doesnt walk anybody." The Orioles added a run in the eighth to take a 3-1 lead. Brian Roberts and McLouth led off with singles. After Manny Machado bunted them over, Santana walked Nick Markakis intentionally to load the bases. Roberts scored on Jones fielders choice grounder to shortstop. NOTES: LF Alex Gordon, a first-time All-Star Game selection this year, was not in the Royals lineup. He is hitting .201 with only four extra-base hits in his past 41 games. ... Utility player Elliot Johnson made his first outfield start of the season. ... The Orioles optioned DH-3B Danny Valencia, who was 0 for 22 since June 17, to Triple-A Norfolk to make roster space for RHP Francisco Rodriguez, who was acquired Tuesday from Milwaukee. ... Cain batted leadoff for only the fourth time this season. . The Orioles signed Cuban OF Dariel Alvarez, 24, to a minor league contract. He will report to the Orioles complex in Sarasota, Fla., before being assigned to Class-A Frederick. After defecting in 2012 to Mexico, Alvarez hit .317 for Tuxpan in the Mexican League. Ron Hextall Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Eric Lindros Flyers Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/ivan-provorov-jersey/ . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Brian Elliott Jersey . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Samuel Morin Flyers Jersey .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. Mile Jedinaks penalty has rescued Australia from a home World Cup qualifying defeat, salvaging a 1-1 draw against Japan and keeping the Socceroos on course for the 2018 tournament.Japan looked set for a smash-and-grab success after Genki Haraguchis fifth-minute opener.A first half played at a snails pace gave way to a helter-skelter second, allowing the Socceroos back into the contest.The Blue Samurai will rue their clumsy penalty that gifted Australia their equaliser, but will be thankful Ange Postecoglous side didnt find a second.The Socceroos surged in the final 20 minutes as they chased a winner, but their transformation from frog to prince came too late for a victory.The draw isnt a stellar one for Australias qualifying hopes - they are likely to lose top place in the group as a result.But eight points from four games is a fine tally and the result keeps Australia a point ahead of arch-rivals Japan and in control of their qualifying destiny with six qualifiers left.The Socceroos started without confidence in Melbourne and soon fell behind.Haraguchi made it three goals in as many matches when he converted a one-on-one chance.Trent Sainsbury was the guilty party, attempting an audacious pass that Haraguchi intercepted and eventually finished.With buoyant support among the 48,460 at Etihad Stadium, Japan was frustrating a lacklustre Australia.Playing with a 4-4-2 system, including surprise selection Apostolos Giannou alongside Tomi Juric up front, the Socceroos couldnt cut through.Australia subsisteed on set pieces in a lacklustre first stanza.ddddddddddddMatthew Spiranovic headed Aaron Mooys cross over and Jedinak brought a save out of Shusaku Nishikawa from a direct free kick.The break Australia desperately needed came on 51 minutes, when Juric was bundled over in the box by Japans goalscorer.Brad Smiths intelligent run and cross bore fruit, with captain Jedinak thundering the penalty home.The Socceroos, reverting to their usual 4-3-3 formation, were on top and Postecoglou gave substitutes Robbie Kruse and Tim Cahill half an hour to help find a winner.While Spiranovic climbed high again but headed a late corner over, it was Japan which came closest to a second goal.On 74 minutes, Mat Ryan produced the save of the match, diving low to his right to deny Yuto Kobayashi.Takuma Asano was unlucky not to connect with Haraguchis cross with Ryan beaten, leaving the teams to share the spoils.Postecoglou cursed his sides poor start.International goals are hard to come by and we dished up a really soft one tonight, he said.We wasted 45 minutes tonight.Im disappointed in the context of where I think were at as a team.Japanese boss Vahid Halilhodzic said he had no regrets but some frustration at not being able to snatch a win.We let the opponent have the ball because we knew we would have the chance to score ... we should have taken two more points, he said through a translator. 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