KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sam Horn had two days to prove he belonged with the Baltimore Orioles and earn a chance to dedicate a season to his mother.
With his spring training cut short by the lockout and even more after Velma Horn, his mother, suffered a stroke, Horn did not even earn a spot on the Orioles' roster until last Saturday.
Horn made the most of his chance Monday, collecting four hits, including a pair of three-run home runs, the second of which forced extra innings. Baltimore's Joe Orsulak scored on Danny Tartabull's two-out error in the 11th inning, giving the Orioles a 7-6 victory that extended the Kansas City Royals' Opening Day losing streak to five games.
Jay Aldrich picked up the victory, while Gregg Olson earned a save for one inning of work. Jeff Montgomery was victimized by Tartabull's error for the loss.
Horn said he told his mother, who is recovering from her stroke in San Diego, he was going to dedicate the season to her.
'This was the first chance for me to do something for her,' Horn said. 'I'll call her tonight, but I just hope she gets to see the highlights.'
Horn hit a three-run homer in the second inning off Bret Saberhagen and added a score-tying three-run shot in the eighth.
The designated hitter had bounced around the Boston Red Sox organization for eight seasons before the Orioles picked him up. He said he sensed this spring was about his last chance.
'This is just a reward to myself,' Horn said. '(Manager) Frank (Robinson) and the coaches and the rest of them all made me feel at home from the first, and this was the first time I was able to come out and show what I could do.'
Kansas City Manager John Wathan said, 'Just too much Sam Horn today, that was the big problem. He was always a good power hitter but didn't get too many chances in Boston.'
Robinson said there was no doubt about either of Horn's home runs, but the two-run home runs hit by Kansas City's Tartabull and Frank White were not cheap either. The other two Royals runs came on a double by Kurt Stillwell. Stillwell's double came just before White's blast and put Kansas City up 6-3 in the sixth. But Horn tied the score with his eighth-inning blast off Steve Farr.
Montgomery replaced Farr and, after pinch-runner Brady Anderson was thrown out trying to steal third, Orsulak reached on a infield hit deep in the hole behind second. Cal Ripken Jr. singled to right, and Tartabull misplayed the ball for an error that allowed Orsulak to score.
As much to blame as Tartabull, in the Royals' eyes, was new second basemn Steve Jeltz, who was out of position for the cut-off throw.
'He should have been more down the line,' Wathan said. 'You can't worry about the guy going to second in that situation.'
Tartabull said the combination of a damp turf and the fact that the ball was hit by a right-hander made the play tougher.
'I had it, and it skipped away,' he said. 'With a right-handed hitter, it will do that.'
The Orioles tied the score 6-6 in the eighth on Horn's second three-run homer. Farr hit Cal Ripken Jr. to open the eighth and struck out Mickey Tettleton. Randy Milligan singled, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Horn connected.
Stillwell knocked a two-out pitch inside third base to erase a one-run deficit by driving in Bo Jackson and Tartabull in the sixth inning, and White followed with a drive into the left-field bullpen to put the Royals up, 6-3.
Saberhagen lasted six innings in his second season-opening assignment. In his first, two years ago, Toronto's George Bell hit three home runs.
Saberhagen, the 1989 American League Cy Young Award winner, yielded a three-run homer to Horn in the second inning. Horn's home run, which landed in the fountain beyond right-center field, drove in Tettleton and Milligan, who had each singled.
Kansas City was held hitless by Bob Milacki through 3 2-3 innings. The Baltimore starter walked Jackson with two outs in the fourth, and Tartabull hit a line drive that struck halfway up the left-field terrace, cutting the Orioles' lead to 3-2.
Joe Price replaced Milacki in the sixth. After George Brett was retired, Jackson reached on a swinging bunt. Tartabull singled Jackson to third before Stillwell pulled a shot inside third. Jackson scored easily, and Tartabull clearly beat the relay to put Kansas City ahead, 6-3.
