KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Indians had just been beaten by the Royals in two wildly different games, the first a shutout and the second a shootout, and manager Terry Francona wanted to see a little spark from his club.

It came Sunday along with some lightning.

Roberto Perez and Daniel Robertson delivered two-run doubles just before a long rain delay washed out both starters, and the Indians rolled to an 8-0 victory to avoid the series sweep.

“It’s one game but we needed to bounce back from yesterday and we did,” Francona said. “I thought it was important — just the way we played was much better.”

Perez, Robertson and the Indians battered Eric Skoglund (1-1) in the second before rain and lightning moved in during the bottom half. The tarp was pulled out and the game was halted for 1 hour, 50 minutes.

When it resumed, the Indians quickly tacked on runs to put it away.

Dan Otero (1-0) replaced Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer after the delay and allowed one hit over 2 1/3 innings to earn his first win since Sept. 22, when he also beat Kansas City in relief.

“De-facto starter, kind of,” Otero said with a smile, describing his role. “Fortunately our offense put up four runs in the top half, which was nice.”

Jason Kipnis homered and drove in two for the Indians. Robertson finished with three RBI.

The only bright spot for the Royals was second baseman Whit Merrifield, whose three hits extended his streak to 19 games. That’s the longest hit streak in the majors this season and longest by a Royals player since Alex Gordon managed the same in April 2011.

Skoglund had dazzled in his big league debut last week, outdueling Justin Verlander in a 1-0 victory over Detroit. But the 24-year-old left-hander didn’t fare nearly as well in his encore.

He worked around a double in the first, but a leadoff single and one-out walk in the second caused more trouble. Perez followed later with a double to score the game’s first runs. Kipnis then drew a walk and Robertson added his double to give Bauer a big cushion.

“It just shows how important first-pitch strikes are,” Skoglund said. “It’s something you have to do up here to be successful and consistent. Hopefully, I can just bounce back from that.”

Bauer allowed two hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings before the rain knocked him from the game.

“Trevor was more than willing to go back out,” Francona said, “but it didn’t make much sense.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Royals 1B Eric Hosmer has reached base in 36 straight home games, the longest streak since Carlos Beltran matched a club record with 44 straight from 2001-02. … Kipnis has hit seven homers this season. Six have been solo shots. … Perez’s double was his second extra-base hit this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians INF/OF Lonnie Chisenhall (concussion) reported no problems during his first rehab game at Double-A Akron. He planned to DH on Sunday before rejoining the Indians on Tuesday in Colorado.

TIP OF THE CAP

The pregame buzz in the Royals clubhouse centered on former starter Edinson Volquez tossing a no-hitter for the Marlins on Saturday. Volquez was close to Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, who was killed in an offseason car crash in the Dominican Republic and would have been 26 on Saturday.

“I just know the timing of it was very, `Whoa,” manager Ned Yost said. “Eddie and Yordano were as close as anybody in that locker room. Eddie really was serious about taking care of him, mentoring him and being a friend to him. It was just a neat occurrence.”

UP NEXT

Cleveland takes a day off Monday before sending RHP Mike Clevinger to the mound in a two-game set against the Rockies. The Indians have another day off Thursday before returning home.

Kansas City begins a four-game series against Houston on Monday night. RHP Ian Kennedy gets the start in the last series between the clubs this season.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Hammel had been having trouble attacking the strike zone this season, the constant nibbling at the corners leading to an abundance of walks and nearly as many runs.

The Royals’ right-hander certainly attacked the zone on Saturday.

Got after the Cleveland Indians, too.

After serving up a pair of homers in the second inning, Hammel only allowed two more hits while pitching into the seventh. And backed by a six-run fifth inning highlighted by Lorenzo Cain’s two-run home run, Kansas City went on to trounce its AL Central rival 12-5 and ensure a series victory.

“He kept getting better and better. His pitches kept sharper and sharper,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We just ask you to keep us in the game and that’s what he did.”

Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas had two-run doubles off Carlos Carrasco (5-3) during the Royals’ big inning, and a five-run seventh inning helped them score their most runs all season.

“Once we kind of got rolling, it was nice to pour it on like that,” said Merrifield, who extended his hitting streak to a career-best and Major League-leading 18 games. “Against a team like that you can never have enough runs.”

Hammel (2-6) gave up homers to Carlos Santana and Bradley Zimmer in the third, but he retired 15 of his next 17 batters before giving way to Mike Minor with two outs in the seventh.

Hammel struck out seven without a walk for his first win since beating Cleveland on May 5.

“Stayed in the strike zone with quality pitches,” said Hammel, who had walked at least one batter in every game this season. “A lot of fly balls today but overall a much better job.”

Carrasco only allowed a lone single before Jorge Bonifacio and Brandon Moss led off the fifth with base hits, and Merrifield followed with a sharply hit double. Carrasco then walked Alex Gordon and, two batters later, served up a pitch that Moustakas swatted down the right-field line.

Nick Goody relieved Carrasco, who was charged with five runs and five hits with two walks, and he promptly threw a pitch at the letters that Cain dumped into the fountains in left field.

The six-run inning matched the best by the Royals this season.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Carrasco said, “but get ready for the next start.”

The Royals tacked on five more runs in the seventh against the best bullpen in the big leagues, a relief crew that entered the game with a 2.17 ERA. They were helped along by a pair of errors — only one run that inning was earned — as Kansas City put the game away.

“We didn’t do anything good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Get a little bit of rest and come back tomorrow and play a lot better because that wasn’t close to good enough.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians INF/OF Lonnie Chisenhall was cleared to return to games after dealing with the effects of a concussion. He was starting in right field for Double-A Akron on Saturday.

SEE YA, SOLER

The Royals optioned struggling OF Jorge Soler to Triple-A Omaha and recalled speedy OF Billy Burns before the game. Soler was acquired from the Cubs in the offseason for All-Star closer Wade Davis.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ACE

Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, who was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic this year, would have been 26 on Saturday. His presence is still felt by many in the organization.
“I’m generally the first one here. The clubhouse is pitch-black,” Yost said, “so I’ll go over and turn on the lights, and I’ll walk around the clubhouse. I always kind of stop at his locker for a second and just look at the pictures. … We’re all reminded of him every single day.”

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer follows his dominant effort against Oakland in the series finale Sunday. Bauer struck out a career-high 14 in seven innings against the A’s last week.

Royals: LHP Eric Skoglund tries to follow a dazzling big league debut Sunday. The 24-year-old gave up three hits over 6 1/3 innings in a 1-0 victory over the Tigers last week.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas goes into every game he starts expecting to make it to the end.

Thanks to a bunch of double plays, he made it Friday night.

The veteran left-hander tossed his first shutout in nearly three years, outdueling Royals nemesis Josh Tomlin and sending Kansas City to a 4-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Vargas (7-3) allowed seven hits over the first six innings but deftly induced double plays in four of them to escape any trouble. He then set down the Indians in order the rest of the way, making a nifty grab of Carlos Santana’s liner in the ninth to end it.

It was Vargas’ first shutout since a 3-0 victory over Oakland on Aug. 13, 2014.

“The double plays were huge,” he said. “They were the reason I was able to stay in the game. It really sets the tone when you’re able to put two guys away with one swing.”

Vargas also beat the Indians last weekend, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 5-2 victory.

“It says a lot about Vargas that we’ve faced him three times this year and he’s able to go out there and throw a 100-pitch shutout,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He pitched really well.”

The Royals scored their first run off Tomlin (3-7) with two down in the sixth when Lorenzo Cain beat out an infield single — he was initially ruled out, but the call was quickly overturned.

Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to 17 games with an RBI double in the seventh, and Mike Moustakas belted his 14th homer and Eric Hosmer delivered an RBI double in the eighth.

That gave Vargas enough cushion that closer Kelvin Herrera stopped warming up in the bullpen.

“That’s what you love as an infielder, a guy who pounds the zone. Works quick,” Merrifield said after a game that lasted just 2 hours, 19 minutes. “It’s great for the defense. Keeps us in rhythm.”

It was still another solid performance by Tomlin against the Royals. He tossed a six-hit complete game when the teams met last month, and he was 10-4 against Kansas City in his career.

Tomlin only allowed two singles in the second before Escobar’s base hit in the sixth got things going. Escobar went to second on a wild pitch and third on a groundout before Cain came to bat.

The Royals’ outfielder chopped a pitch into the dirt in front of the plate and took off for first base. Tomlin rushed off the mound and fielded it cleanly, and snapped a throw to Santana at first base, where umpire Ed Hickox signaled that Cain was out by a step.

The Royals challenged the call as the Indians started toward the dugout, and it only took 1 minute, 15 seconds for the ruling to be overturned and Kansas City to take a 1-0 lead.

“It was a close play and then I saw it on the board,” Tomlin said. “It was just a tough play. The ball was put in the right spot. If I’m a little quicker, he’s out and that run wouldn’t have scored.”

Meanwhile, Vargas only allowed one baserunner past second, and he was stranded by an inning-ending double play in the first. Vargas also got double plays in the second, fourth and sixth, and would have had another in the third if Daniel Robertson hadn’t been hustling to first base.

“They always say that double plays are a pitcher’s best friend,” Royals manager Ned Yost said, “and Vargas and the double play were snuggled up tight tonight.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Vargas has seven career shutouts, all of them since 2011. … The four double plays that Vargas induced were the most by a Royals pitcher since Vin Mazzaro on June 12, 2011. … The Indians were shut out for the second time this season. … Tomlin is 1/3 with a 4.88 ERA in five road starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (concussion) had a good workout Friday and could play a rehab game at Double-A Akron this weekend. “He has to get OK’d from the doctor,” Francona said. “If it happened tonight he’d play in Akron tomorrow and we’d go from there.”

UP NEXT

Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco tries to continue his road dominance on Saturday afternoon. Carrasco is 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA in five starts away from Progressive Field.

Royals RHP Jason Hammel’s only win this season came against Cleveland on May 5, when he allowed one run in six innings. He is 1-6 with a 6.18 ERA this season.

— Associated Press —