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 "It was huge," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We were really
struggling at that point to make anything happen.
The Royals (51-50) won their third consecutive game and moved a
half-game above the Indians in the American League Central.
Cleveland (51-51) fell for the fourth time in five games.
Aoki's one-out single scored right fielder Lorenzo Cain, who began
the inning with an infield single stole second. Aoki was serving as
the designated hitter for the first time in his career.
"Lo beats out an infield single and steals second and Nori comes up
with the big base hit to end the ball game," Yost said. "Our bullpen
was phenomenal. Our starting pitcher was phenomenal, but
unfortunately so was there's. Danny (Duffy) was absolutely
outstanding. Danny was unbelievable. (Corey) Kluber was
unbelievable."
Aaron Crow (5-1) struck out all three batters he faced in the 14th.
He was the seventh Royals pitcher. Marc Rzepczynski (0-3) allowed
one run in one-plus inning.
The Indians tied the score in the ninth when catcher Yan Gomes'
two-out single scored first baseman Carlos Santana, who drew a
leadoff walk. Kansas City closer Greg Holland blew just his second
save in 28 opportunities.
Kansas City's Mike Moustakas scored an unearned run in the eighth.
The Royals third baseman stroked a fly ball double to left. When
left fielder Ryan Raburn picked up the ball in foul territory, his
awful throw wound up in center, allowing Moustakas to come home.
"When Moose scored the run, I thought how crazy is this," Yost said.
Raburn said it was "a tough one to swallow."
"My teammates picked me up but then we weren't able to hold on,"
Raburn said. "If it was a game where we were way ahead we'd have had
a good laugh about it. With the way the game was playing out I don't
think anybody was more mad than I was. I was coming up to throw to
the infield and I saw our infielders going towards third. I tried to
hold up and I couldn't. The ball slipped out of my hand."
Indians manager Terry Francona said Raburn "made a good effort and
didn't catch it, and we had the shift on."
"He tried to hold up and the ball slipped out of his hand," Francona
said. "It's a fluky thing. Just a lot of guys trying real hard but
it didn't end up well."
Indians right-hander Corey Kluber limited the Royals to two hits and
one unearned run over nine innings. Kluber, who won his first three
July starts, struck out 10 and walked none.
"Maybe it's the fact that they're aggressive," Kluber said of the
strikeouts. "With aggressive teams, if you execute your pitches you
can have success."
He lost his perfect-game bid in the seventh on second baseman Omar
Infante's single with one out. He said he thought Moustakas' eighth
inning double was going foul.
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"It's one of those things, one of the weird things that happens
in this game," Kluber said.
Royals left-hander Danny Duffy limited the Indians to two hits and
no runs before departing after 107 pitches and seven innings.
"It was a good outing by Kluber," Duffy said. "I was just trying to
stay in there and compete and keep my team in the game. "It was
great to see Aoki get that hit. It couldn't happen to a better guy.
He put a good swing on it and laced it down the line. Cain came in
with a slide home. Overall, it was just a great team win. It's
something we needed big time."
Royals right-hander Wade Davis weaved his way into and out of
trouble in the eighth. The Indians loaded the bases on two singles
and a walk, but center fielder Michael Brantley grounded into an
inning-ending double play.
Duffy, who lost his three previous starts, did not allow a
baserunner until first baseman Carlos Santana led off the fifth with
a single to left. Duffy walked Raburn to put two men on with no
outs, but he retired the next three to pitch out of the jam,
striking out Gomes and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall to end the
inning.
In the first half of the game, the only thing close to a Kansas City
hit was Alex Gordon's sinking liner that Cleveland left fielder Mike
Aviles caught to end the fourth.
NOTES: 1B Eric Hosmer was not in the Royals' lineup for the third
time in four games because of a bruised right hand. ... Indians SS
Asdrubal Cabrera has not played since exiting Monday with lower back
spasms. ... The Royals sent UT Jimmy Paredes to the Baltimore
Orioles for cash considerations. Paredes was designated for
assignment July 16. The Royals acquired Paredes on Feb. 17 off
waivers from the Orioles. He went 2-for-10 in nine games for Kansas
City. ... Indians RHP Justin Masterson, who is on the disabled list
due to right knee inflammation, will make a rehab start Friday for
Triple-A Columbus.
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