Indians ride 4-run frame to series win over Royals
KANSAS CITY -- Trevor Bauer went 6 2/3 innings, giving up just two runs, and Royals nemesis Brandon Moss belted a two-run homer as the Indians rolled to a rain-shortened 6-2 win on Thursday night in the rubber game at Kauffman Stadium.
The game was called with one out in the bottom of the eighth, as Kansas City lost its first series at home this season.
Bauer gave up four hits, walked four and struck out five. It was his fifth straight quality start, and the right-hander now has won three of his last four decisions.
Video: CLE@KC: Bauer holds Royals to two runs over 6 2/3
"Early on, he had some walks ... the pitch to Cain he allowed," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Other than that, [Bauer] was really good. He competes, uses his pitches, established his fastball. Again it seems like as the game progresses, he gets a little bit stronger."
Moss hit his second homer of the series in the fifth inning. He now has four homers and 10 RBIs against the Royals this season. He also hit two homers against the Royals in the American League Wild Card Game as a member of the A's.
Video: CLE@KC: Moss belts a two-run dinger off Young
Right-hander Chris Young struggled for the Royals. He gave up eight hits and six runs in five innings while dropping his second straight start.
"He was OK," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He made two pitches that hurt him -- the double to [David] Murphy and the homer to Moss. He did a good job in certain spots."
Video: CLE@KC: Young retires Chisenhall to end the threat
Added Young, "You give them credit, too. I wasn't as sharp as I wanted to be. When I made good pitches, they kept fouling them off. That's baseball. They were better than me tonight. I wish I could have kept our team closer. Wasn't my night."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Kipnis delivers: With one out in the third inning, Jason Kipnis lined a single into right field to score Michael Bourn from third. Using that momentum, the Indians then produced with a double, a single, a strikeout and a two-run double for a 4-0 lead. The go-ahead hit was just the second this series for Kipnis, who was voted the AL Player of the Month for May.
Video: CLE@KC: Kipnis opens the scoring with an RBI single
Moss does it again: For the second time in the three-game series, Moss made a Royals pitcher pay and drilled one over the fence, this time tacking on two insurance runs with a homer to right field in the fifth that was projected by Statcast™ to land 415 feet away from home plate. More >
LoCain goes deep: Cain hadn't homered since May 2 against Detroit at Kauffman Stadium, but he muscled up in the third inning with a monstrous blast to center, projected by Statcast™ to land 433 feet from home plate. The homer scored Omar Infante and brought the Royals to within 4-2. The rally continued when Eric Hosmer walked and Kendrys Morales singled. But Alex Gordon rolled into an inning-ending groundout.
Video: CLE@KC: Cain hammers a two-run shot in the 3rd
Cain was about the only Royals hitter to solve Bauer as the team continues its recent offensive slide.
"I think it was a little bit of both, us and Bauer," Yost said. "He's tough. He's pounding inside and then getting you away with slow stuff."
WHAT'S NEXT
Indians: Shaun Marcum looks for his first win this season at Progressive Field in the series opener against the Orioles on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Marcum (2-0, 5.49 ERA) made it through 2 2/3 innings in his last home start on May 25, giving up four hits, including two homers, and seven runs.
Royals: Edinson Volquez gets the ball on Friday at Kauffman Stadium for the opener of a three-game set against the Rangers at 7:10 p.m. CT. Volquez (4-3, 2.95 ERA) will face his former organization -- he got a no-decision on May 12 against the Rangers, going five innings and giving up six hits and four runs.
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