Royals’ Paulo Orlando, Ian Kennedy win team awards for month of May

No one in the majors had a higher batting average in the month of May than Royals outfielder Paulo Orlando.

So it should come as no surprise that Orlando was named the Royals Player of the Month on Thursday. Ian Kennedy was named Pitcher of the Month.

Orlando’s .429 average was only matched by Detroit’s Cameron Maybin, among hitters with at least 50 plate appearances. Orlando finished the month on a 14-game hitting streak (.444 average with five doubles, one homer and one triple).

Kennedy had a 3.24 ERA in six May starts, allowing 12 earned runs with 36 strikeouts in 33  1/3 innings pitched. The Royals won five of his starts.