[July 26, 2014]KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Billy Butler
came through in the pinch.
Butler crushed a two-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning to
lift the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 triumph over the Cleveland
Indians on Friday night.
After catcher Salvador Perez singled for his third hit, John Axford
was summoned from the bullpen to replace Nick Hagadone. Butler drove
his second pitch out for his fourth home run and his second career
pinch home run.
"It felt good," Butler said. "Axford has got a very good fastball.
It was tough to lay off that first-pitch slider. Coming off the
bench, you're looking for a fastball. I was seeing it pretty good.
Some days you see it as a pinch hitter. Some days you don't. It's
really weird. It's the toughest thing to do in sports to do.
"It's not an easy thing. I got the better of it tonight. But I've
fouled that ball off just as many times as I squared it up. Anytime
you hit a game-winning homer, it feels really good."
Axford felt as bad as Butler felt good.
"It was just a bad pitch," Axford said. "I let it stay out over the
plate. It was supposed to be away and it ended up in the seats."
Royals first baseman Raul Ibanez, who has some big pinch hit home
runs in his career, know how thankless a job that is.
"It's so tough, especially when you're facing guy like Axford, who
has great stuff," Ibanez said. "You're coming in cold off the bench
and you haven't seen his fastball and he hits it like that. It's the
toughest thing there is to do in the game of baseball."
Aaron Crow protected the lead in the ninth for his second save,
while Kelvin Herrera (3-4) claimed the victory. Carlos Carrasco
(3-4) took the loss.
Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura was removed with one out in the
seventh after allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits,
including two home runs to Indians first baseman Carlos Santana.
Ventura, who threw 101 pitches, struck out seven after not striking
out any in his previous start against the Red Sox, and walked one.
Santana homered in the fourth on a 2-1 pitch and in the sixth with
center fielder Michael Brantley aboard. Brantley snapped an 0-for-16
slump with a single to center.
The Indians tied it in the seventh when second baseman Jason Kipnis'
sacrifice fly scored catcher Yan Gomes.
Perez and third baseman Mike Moustakas hit back-to-back home runs to
lead off the second inning. Perez hit a 1-1 offering from
right-hander Josh Timlin out to left field and Moustakas pulled a
2-0 pitch over the right field wall.
It was the second time this season the Royals have hit consecutive
home runs. Coincidentally, the first was April 23 by Perez and
Moustakas in the second inning at Cleveland.
Tomlin allowed 16 home runs in his first 82 1/3 innings after
beginning the season in the minors.
"It's a problem that needs to be solved," Tomlin said of his
penchant of surrendering home runs. "I have to do a better job and
see what I'm doing mechanically that makes those pitches stay up.
I'm trying to throw four pitches for strikes and get back to making
quality pitches."
Santana hit his 16th home run of the season in the fourth inning to
cut the Royals' lead in half.
"I know he (Ventura) throws hard," Santana said. "I saw 98, 99, 100,
early in the game. I prepare my swing and try to make contact. He's
good. He's a young guy with a good fastball and curve. I feel
excited. I try to prepare, I try to be ready to make contact."
The Royals hiked their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth when
Ibanez's triple to right scored left fielder Alex Gordon, who led
off the inning with a single. Ibanez was awarded home when second
baseman Kipnis' relay throw wound up in the seats.
"It was hot out there, but you train for that stuff," Ibanez said.
"It was nice to be able to catch your breath in the dugout after it.
It's part of the game. You prepare for that."
NOTES: Missouri football center Evan Boehm, who is on the Outland
List for the top offensive interior lineman, threw out the
ceremonial first pitch. Royals RHP Aaron Crow, a Missouri alumnus,
was the catcher. ... Indians RHP Zack McAllister will be recalled
Saturday and start against the Royals. He is 2-2 with a 4.49 ERA in
four career starts against Kansas City. ... Royals LHP Jason Vargas,
who is on the disabled list after an appendectomy earlier this
month, will throw three 15-pitch innings Saturday against batters in
a simulated game. ... Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera was not in the
lineup for the fourth straight game because of back spasms. ... RF
David Murphy had three of the Indians' seven hits.
