|
 Right-hander Yordano Ventura pitched seven scoreless innings and
Kansas City collected six doubles from six hitters as the Royals
(86-71) rolled to their third win in a row.
The right-handed Ventura (14-10) held Cleveland to four hits,
striking out six and walking four.
In their last two games, the Royals have outscored Cleveland 9-1 and
out-hit the Indians 21-12.
The Indians, who lost 2-0 on Monday, went 21 consecutive innings
without scoring a run before snapping the streak in the eighth
inning by scoring a run on a double play.
The losing pitcher was right-hander Danny Salazar (6-8), who gave up
five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
The Royals remain one game behind the Central Division-leading
Detroit Tigers, who beat Chicago. However, the Royals did extend
their lead to three games over Seattle, their closest pursuer for
the second wild-card spot. The Royals are tied with Oakland for the
top wild-card position, and the Mariners have just five games left
to make up the three-game deficit on one of them.
"We went out and took care of our business," first baseman Eric
Hosmer said of the Royals, who will play Cleveland again on
Wednesday and then conclude the season with four games in Chicago
against the White Sox.
The loss nearly eliminates the Indians (82-76) from the wild-card
race. They are 4 1/2 games behind the Royals for the second
wild-card spot. Cleveland has four games remaining and Kansas City
five.
"All we can do is play tomorrow, try to win and go from there,"
Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.
Kansas City scored its first five runs against Salazar, who struck
out six of the first eight hitters he faced but then gave up five
doubles in the next three innings as the Royals took a commanding
5-0 lead after five innings.
"It was almost like two different pitchers," Francona said. "Out of
the chute he had a good fastball and worked ahead in the count. But
then he started leaving balls up and his fastball was leaking over
the plate. It was like somebody hit a switch."
Salazar overpowered Kansas City hitters in the first two innings.
However, in his second trip through the Kansas City lineup, hitters
started to figure him out.
In the top of the fourth inning, Kansas City took a 2-0 lead. Butler
led off the inning by drawing a walk, and Gordon's single to right
field moved Butler to second. Catcher Salvador Perez struck out, but
second baseman Omar Infante lined a double into the left-field
corner, scoring Butler and Gordon and giving the Royals a 2-0 lead.
[to top of second column]
|
Kansas City knocked Salazar out of the game with a three-run
fifth-inning rally that began with two outs and nobody on base.
Hosmer doubled and scored on a double by Butler. Gordon walked and
Perez followed with the third double of the inning and the Royals'
fifth double of the game, driving in Butler and Gordon as the Royals
extended their lead to 5-0.
That was plenty for Ventura, who held Cleveland scoreless on two
hits through six innings before giving up two singles in the
seventh.
"He's a special guy. He has all the makings of being a high-level,
upper-tier pitcher in the American League," Royals manager Ned Yost
said.
"He has some of the best arm speed you'll ever see," Francona said.
"We made him work, but we had nothing to show for it."
In 4 2/3 innings, Salazar threw 91 pitches and gave up five runs on
eight hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
"After the second inning, I lost my control and got a little wild,"
Salazar said. "Then, when I came in with some pitches, they hit
them."
The Royals padded their lead with two runs in the seventh inning.
Hosmer led off with a single against left-hander Nick Hagadone.
Right-hander Scott Atchison relieved Hagadone, and designated hitter
Billy Butler greeted Atchison with a single, moving Hosmer to third.
Left fielder Alex Gordon followed with a double to right field,
scoring Hosmer and Butler to make it 7-0.
NOTES: Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco on Tuesday issued a written
apology after criticizing the Indians' defense in his 2-0 loss on
Monday night. "It was a terribly immature and foolish thing to say.
I know better and I apologize for saying it," he said. ... Ned Yost
managed his 770th game for the Royals, tying Dick Howser for the
most in franchise history. ... LHP Jason Vargas, who will start
Wednesday night for the Royals, has a 1.14 ERA in his 11 wins this
season and a 6.96 ERA in his 10 losses.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
