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 Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, is 0-3
against the Royals. He was down 1-0 after two pitches. He gave up
three runs on five consecutive hits in the third inning.
Kluber (3-5) went the distance, permitting nine hits, striking out
nine and walking one, but is still unable to find a way to beat the
Royals. He has a 5.85 ERA in the three losses to the Royals,
yielding 13 earned runs and 26 hits in 20 innings.
Vargas (4-2), who missed three weeks with a flexor strain before
coming off the disabled list May 26, scattered eight hits over six
innings, while striking out three and walking none. Vargas is 3-0
against the Indians, restricting them to six runs, o more than two
in any starts, and 13 hits over 17 innings this season.
Greg Holland worked a spotless ninth to log his eighth save in nine
chances. It was his first save since May 14.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar, third baseman Mike Moustakas and first
baseman Eric Hosmer combined to go 6-for-12 with two doubles, scored
three runs and two RBIs.
After starting 0-5, Kluber had pitched well recently -- 3-0 with a
1.41 ERA in his previous four starts.
Kluber, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, gave up a run on two hits
on his first two pitches. Shortstop Alcides Escobar doubled down the
left-field line on Kluber's first offering and third baseman Mike
Moustakas followed with an RBI single.
The Indians scored single runs in the second and third innings to
seize a short-lived 2-1 lead.
Right fielder Brandon Moss doubled home left fielder Ryan Raburn in
the second. Center fielder Michael Bourn had a hustle double to lead
off the third and scored on shortstop Mike Aviles' single two
batters later.
The Royals responded with three runs off Kluber in their half of the
third. The inning featured three consecutive run-scoring doubles by
center fielder Lorenzo Cain, first baseman Eric Hosmer and
designated hitter Kendrys Morales, putting the Royals on top 4-2.
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The Indians threatened in the fifth, but came away empty. Bourn and
second baseman Jason Kipnis opened with singles and Cain made a rare
error when Kipnis' hit rolled past him, allowing Bourn to advance to
third. Aviles, though, hit a sharp comebacker to Vargas, who looked
Bourn back to third before starting a 1-4-3 double play and first
baseman Carlos Santana flied out to right to strand Bourn at third.
NOTES: Royals manager Ned Yost said he received a call from MLB on
Wednesday to acknowledge umpires "missed the call" Tuesday. "They
said they had a breakdown in their system and they deeply regretted
it." The Royals challenged SS Jose Ramirez was out to complete a
double play in the eighth inning and replays showed the throw beat
him to first base. However, the replay officials did not overturn
the "safe" ruling, and the Indians scored the decisive run that
inning. ... OF Michael Brantley, who had played in 42 of the past 43
games, was not in the Indians' lineup. ... C Salvador Perez, who was
woozy after being hit by a foul tip on Tuesday, was not in the
starting lineup Wednesday, but Yost said he was available. ...
Indians 2B Jason Kipnis was voted the AL player of the month for
May, getting hits in 25 of 29 games, batting .429 with 30 runs and
1.217 OPS. ... Indians RHP Trevor Bauer and Royals RHP Chris Young
are the starters for the series finale Thursday.
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