BALTIMORE -- It was baseball the way Tony Pena likes it.
The Kansas City Royals managed only four hits, yet still mustered enough offense to beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 Sunday and end a disappointing road trip on a positive note.
Mike DiFelice homered, and Chris George and two relievers combined on a seven-hitter for Kansas City.
"Pitching and defense wins ballgames. Today our guys did a great job of it," said Pena, off to a 19-9 start in his first full year as the Royals' manager.
Kansas City took two of three from the Orioles after going 0-7 against Baltimore last year. The Royals, 10-0 at home, return to Kauffman Stadium on Monday after a 3-6 road trip.
"This trip was kind of long, and we didn't play like we were playing before," Pena said. "Going home, everybody gets to relax a little bit. Hopefully, we can get back on track."
George (4-2) pitched 5 1-3 innings before giving way to Jason Grimsley, who struck out four of the six batters he faced. D.J. Carrasco got six outs for his second save.
The trio was backed by some fine defense. The Royals did not commit an error, Desi Relaford made a fine running catch in right field and the infield turned an important double play in the second inning.
"It wasn't an easy win today," George said. "We were able to make the big pitches when we needed to and make the great plays defensively."
Baltimore's Eric DuBose (0-1), recalled from Triple-A Ottawa before the game, allowed two runs and three hits over 6 1-3 innings in his first major league start.
"Eric DuBose was absolutely outstanding," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "I could not have asked more out of him, or any other starting pitcher."
For his effort, DuBose received a thank you and a return ticket to the minors. He will be optioned to Ottawa on Monday when the Orioles recall pitcher Travis Driskill, Hargrove said.
"I'm disappointed we didn't get the win, but I'm pleased with the way I went out there and competed," DuBose said. "I wanted to have a solid outing to let them know I am capable of pitching at this level."
DiFelice gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the third with his second homer of the season, an opposite-field drive down the right-field line that barely cleared the 25-foot scoreboard.
That was the lone hit off DuBose until Carlos Febles led off the sixth with a single. Febles stole second with one out but was stranded.
Kansas City made it 2-0 in the seventh. After a single and two walks loaded the bases, Willis Roberts replaced DuBose and hit Angel Berroa with a pitch to force in a run.
Febles doubled in two runs with two outs in the ninth.
The Orioles' most serious threat came in the sixth. After Jerry Hairston drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a single by Melvin Mora, George left after retiring David Segui on a fly ball.
Jeff Conine then hit a routine fly that Relaford lost in the sun, loading the bases. But Grimsley struck out Jay Gibbons on three pitches and retired Tony Batista on a grounder to second.
George, who gave up five hits and two walks, has already matched his career high for wins. In his two previous starts against Baltimore, he was 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA.
"It's just a matter of finding what combination of pitches works for you," he said. "I feel like I'm in a pretty good groove right now."
It was the first time in 25 starts that he did not allow an earned run.
Baltimore missed a chance to go on top in the second, when singles by Batista and Brook Fordyce put runners at the corners with one out. Deivi Cruz followed by hitting into a 5-4-3 double play.
Cruz went 0-for-3, lowering his batting average to .172.
Notes: To make room for DuBose, the Orioles placed OF B.J. Surhoff on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring. ... Kansas City's Joe Randa went 0-for-3, ending his 11-game hitting streak. ... Speaking of Grimsley, Hargrove said, "He probably has the best sinker in baseball. If you didn't know better, you'd think he's throwing a spitter."
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