BALTIMORE – Top pitcher Corbin Burnes threw eight strong innings, but the Baltimore Orioles lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in the first game of the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series at Camden Yards.

Cedric Mullins and Ramon Urias doubled for the Orioles, but did not score. Gunnar Henderson stranded on third base for the potential tying run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Burnes allowed one run on five hits in eight innings.

The Royals scored the only run of the game on an RBI single by Bobby Witt Jr. in the top of the sixth inning. Witt was drafted second overall in the 2019 baseball draft after the Orioles selected Adley Rutschman.

Kansas City pitcher Cole Ragans threw six scoreless innings. He allowed just four hits, no walks and struck out eight.

Game 2 starts Wednesday at 4:38 PM at Camden Yards. The Orioles need to win to avoid elimination.

The winner of the series will play the New York Yankees in a best-of-five series.