What began as a close game through the first five innings turned into a blowout in the sixth as the Cleveland Indians (46-54) cut loose for six runs and three home runs. Cleveland defeated the Kansas City Royals (61-39) 12-1 Wednesday afternoon at Cleveland's Progressive Field.
Entering the bottom of the sixth with a 2-0 lead, the Indians blew the game wide open with three home runs as part of a six-run inning that saw the Indians' bats explode (video). Giovanny Urshela hit a solo home run (3) with one out. Later in the inning, Jason Kipnis singled to drive in Michael Bourne and move Tyler Holt to third. Francisco Lindor followed with a three-run blast (5) down the right-field line that scored Kipnis and Holt in front of him. Michael Brantley made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot (8) into the right-field bleachers.
The scoring did not stop there. In the eighth, Brandon Moss drove home two more with a single, and Yan Gomes topped it all off with a two-run shot (5) with Moss aboard to make the score 12-0.
Cleveland started the party with single runs in the first (Gomes RBI hit batsman) and second (Lindor sacrifice fly). Lindor finished the day 2 for 5 with a home run and four runs driven in. Gomes was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI.
Kansas City tallied its lone run in the top of the ninth via Alex Rios's RBI ground ball. The Royals collected only five hits in the game with two each coming from Eric Hosmer and Omar Infante. Mike Moustakis had the Royals' only other hit.
Corey Kluber (W: 6-11, 3.44 ERA) went the distance for the Indians. His final line reads 9 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K, and 112 pitches. Kluber has had a rough time of it this year after winning the 2014 Cy Young award, but he has had some flashes of that brilliance that led to his award, especially Wednesday afternoon. He allowed two base runners to reach in the same inning only one time -- the fifth inning.
Jeremy Guthrie (L: 7-7, 5.65) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits. He walked one, struck out three, and served up all three sixth-inning home runs.
Guthrie also hit three batters by the fifth inning, prompting Indians manager Terry Francona to argue with home plate umpire Tom Woodring. Francona was ejected after arguing that Guthrie, who had already received a warning, should have been ejected.
Luke Hochevar allowed four runs on six hits, including Gomes's home run, in the eighth, his only inning of work.
On Thursday, the Royals move north of the border to visit the Toronto Blue Jays, who just picked up Troy Tulowitzki this week, for four games. Cleveland heads west to begin a four-game set with the Oakland Athletics.