Cleveland Indians Slug Way to 11-4 Win Over Royals

The Cleveland Indians trounced the Kansas City Royals 11-4 Wednesday afternoon to take the rubber match of the three-game series. The Indians moved to 56-38 on the season and are now 7.5 games ahead of the second-place Detroit Tigers in the division. The Tribe also has the top record in the American League and are just one game behind the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants for the best record in all of baseball. The Royals meanwhile dropped 47-47 on the season and remain in the third-place in the Central.

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Tribe starter Carlos Carrasco (W, 7-3) was at the top of his game, throwing six shutout innings despite the 100-degree temperatures. He allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out six. He was pulled after just six innings despite only throwing 88 pitches due to the heat and the 11-0 lead he was handed. Reliever Dan Otero came on for Carrasco and worked a scoreless 7th inning; however, Austin Adams ran into trouble in the 8th inning allowing all four runs the Royals scored on five hits. He lasted just 2/3 of an inning before Jeff Manship came in to get the final out. Lefty Kyle Crockett worked a 1-2-3 9th inning.

The Indians scored early and often against Royals’ starter Ian Kennedy (L, 6-8). Jason Kipnis began the Indians onslaught with a solo home run in the 1st inning, his 16th of the season. Tyler Naquin, who had the best game of his young career, hit his 11th home run of the season in the 3rd inning to give the Indians a 2-0 lead. Naquin doubled the Tribe’s lead in the 4th inning with a two-run double.

The Indians then broke it up in the 5th inning, knocking Kennedy out of the game with a seven spot. Carlos Santana opened the inning with his 21st home run of the season, tying Mike Napoli for the team lead and making it 5-0. A couple batters later, Napoli retook the team lead with his 22nd home run, a two-run shot making it 7-0 and ending Kennedy’s day. Rajai Davis made it 8-0 with a RBI single off reliever Peter Moylan before Naquin put the exclamation point on the afternoon with his second homer run of the day, a three-run shot to center field making it 11-0 Indians. It was Naquin’s 12th home run of the season, all coming in the last seven weeks. His six runs batted in on the afternoon tied a Tribe rookie record.

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The Indians will enjoy an off day tomorrow before opening a three-game series in Baltimore Friday against the American League East leading Orioles. Trevor Bauer (7-3, 3.36 ERA) will take the hill in the opener while Dylan Bundy (2-2, 3.70) will get the ball for the Orioles. This will be the second meeting between the two clubs after the Orioles took two of three from the Tribe in Cleveland earlier this season.