KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — In the span of three innings, the Indians’ Tyler Naquin homered to left field, sent a two-run double down the right-field line and connected on a three-run homer over the center-field wall.

Talk about using all fields.

The rookie outfielder’s career-high six RBI, along with three more homers by teammates and a stellar outing by Carlos Carrasco, led Cleveland to an 11-4 romp over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

“I mean, we talk about it from time to time with young players, it’s fun to watch what they turn into,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He’s a really strong kid and he’s playing with a lot of confidence.”

It’s easy to have confidence when the rest of the lineup is producing, too.

Mike Napoli went deep for the second straight day. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana also hit home runs. And the seven-run fifth inning that featured Naquin’s second homer basically put the game away.

“This clubhouse helps a lot, the team chemistry, the guys in here,” Naquin said.

Carrasco (7-3) was cruising along by the time Naquin finished his heroics, allowing one hit in six shutout innings — a double by Cheslor Cuthbert in the fourth that he followed with back-to-back strikeouts.

Carrasco walked two in the sixth for his only other baserunners.

Cleveland’s first four homers were off Ian Kennedy (6-8), whose bizarre pitching line included eight strikeouts and only one walk. But it was the ninth straight game Kennedy has served up a homer, and he has allowed 26 of them this season, tied with teammate Chris Young for most in the majors.

Kansas City scored all its runs off reliever Austin Adams in the eighth.

The division-leading Indians, who are 4-5 against the hapless Minnesota Twins this season, improved to 26-8 against the rest of the AL Central. They are 8-5 against the Royals.

For the second day in a row, a first-inning homer — this time by Kipnis, his 16th — gave them instant offense. Naquin added a solo shot in the third before adding a two-run double in the fourth.

Cleveland put away the game with a seven-run fifth inning.

With a heat index of 105 degrees at first pitch, Carrasco coolly sliced up a Kansas City offense that scored seven runs in a single inning in the opener. The right-hander retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced around his lone single, and he struck out six while throwing just 84 pitches.

He won for the fifth time in six starts and improved to 6-1 in eight starts in Kansas City.

Kennedy wound up allowing seven runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings for the Royals. It was a rare poor start for him at Kauffman Stadium; he entered the game with an AL-best 2.11 ERA at home.

“I guess any time you give up a home run, you try to justify it a little bit,” Kennedy said. “The ball was flying a little bit, but they’re homers. The curveball to Naquin — that’s a second time I’ve given up a home run to a left-hander to left field. You don’t see that very often.”

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT

The Royals will meet President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday during a ceremony to honor their World Series title. It will be the fifth president that manager Ned Yost has met: Jimmy Carter and George Bush used to come to Braves games when Yost coached in Atlanta, George W. Bush threw out the first pitch on opening day once, and Bill Clinton greeted the champion Braves at the White House in 1996. “So this will be my fifth president,” Yost said, “which is kind of cool.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LF Alex Gordon got the day off as he continues to battle out of a season-long slump. He’s hitting just .200 through 62 games after signing a $72 million, four-year deal in the offseason. He missed several weeks with a fractured wrist in a collision with 3B Mike Moustakas.

Indians: OF Michael Brantley was expected to have an MRI exam on his ailing right shoulder Wednesday, though the results were not yet available. Brantley experienced a setback while on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

The Royals open a three-game set Friday night against Texas. The Indians also have a day off before visiting Baltimore on Friday night.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Salazar has no idea why he seems to handle the Kansas City Royals so easily.

Perhaps it’s because he’s such an aggressive pitcher and they have such an aggressive lineup.

The Indians’ right-hander went right after the Royals in his third outing against them this season, shutting them down into the seventh inning in leading Cleveland to a 7-3 victory.

“They like to swing a lot,” said Salazar (11-3), who tossed 7 2/3 shutout innings against Kansas City in a 7-1 victory in early May, and allowed one run over eight innings in a 6-1 win last month.

“You really have to mix your pitches.”

He did that nicely, striking out seven and walking one over 6 2/3 innings.

“He did a really good job of keeping them off the scoreboard, for the most part,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “We really needed that bounce-back win.”

Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer in the first off Brian Flynn (1-1), and Carlos Santana drove in two runs off long reliever Dillon Gee, as the Indians snapped a five-game skid at Kauffman Stadium.

Francisco Lindor added a solo shot in the ninth for Cleveland.

“You’re facing an All-Star pitcher in Salazar,” said Royals manager Ned Yost, who skippered the winning club last week. “He’s not an All-Star for nothing. He’s tough.”

The Flynn-Gee combo got the call for the Royals in place of ineffective fifth starter Chris Young. Flynn lasted 2 2/3 innings in his first start since August 2014, while Gee went the next 5 1/3 innings.

Then again, Cy Young would have had a tough time matching Salazar on another hot, humid night.

He didn’t allow a runner past first base through the first five innings, striking out Alex Gordon twice along the way. He seemed to falter in the oppressive weather in the sixth, when Salvador Perez drove in a run and Kendrys Morales scored on a wild pitch, but managed to escape the inning.

He gave up a sacrifice fly in the seventh before Kyle Crockett finished the inning.

Salazar pitched with the lead the entire way after Napoli’s homer in the first inning, his 21st of the year just skirting inside the left-field foul pole. But the rest of the Indians’ offense came from the same kind of small ball that carried the AL Central-rival Royals to the World Series title last season.

They scored a run in the second on a single, a walk and two sacrifices. The division-leaders added three more in the fifth on a double, three singles, a walk and a fielder’s choice.

It was a nice way to rebound after Cleveland blew a late lead in a 7-3 loss the previous night,

“I was really pleased the way we handled it,” Francona said.

STATS AND STREAKS

Indians OF Erik Gonzalez had a single in the third for his first career hit. … Salazar has won seven straight, a career best. … Lindor has hit 24 career homers. Nineteen have been solo shots. … Gee matched the longest relief outing of his career.

HOT SEATS

Yost and Francona both said they may change up their lineups for the series finale on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to approach 100 degrees for the afternoon start with a heat index well into triple digits. “We’re going to see tonight who needs a break,” Yost said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Michael Brantley will have an MRI on Wednesday after experiencing pain in his right shoulder. He had surgery last November and played in only 11 games this season before landing back on the DL. Brantley has been on a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron since July 11.

Royals: RHP Kyle Zimmer, one of the club’s top prospects, has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will miss the rest of the season. The former first-round draft pick will have surgery in the coming weeks. The Mets’ Matt Harvey had surgery for the same condition Monday.

UP NEXT

The Royals’ Ian Kennedy is 3-0 with a 1.45 ERA in daytime starts this season. He goes against fellow right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who is 4-2 with a 1.94 ERA in seven road starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Once Corey Kluber limped to the trainer’s room, the Kansas City Royals broke loose against the Cleveland bullpen.

Jarrod Dyson hit a grand slam that capped a seven-run rally in the eighth inning and the Royals took advantage after Kluber cramped up, topping the Indians 7-3 Monday night.

Kluber scattered five hits and took the mound to begin the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber before he could throw a pitch.

Kluber was suffering from a right calf cramp with the temperature at 90 degrees and the heat index 99 at the start of the game.

“I don’t think cramps are serious, but I don’t know how he’s going to push off the rubber,” Francona said.

With Kluber out, the Royals roughed up relievers Bryan Shaw and Jeff Manship. Alcides Escobar and Eric Hosmer began the eighth with singles and both scored on Christian Colon’s pinch-hit double.

“Soon as Escobar got that infield single, I turned to Wak (bench coach Don Wakamatsu) and said, `This is how it starts for us, especially at home,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Colon hit for Kendrys Morales, who had fouled a pitch off his right foot. X-rays were negative, detecting only a bruise. Colon squared around to bunt on the first two pitches, both balls. Colon then drove the next pitch to deep center tying it at 2.

“I was trying to bunt the first couple,” Colon said. “I think the situation presented itself … I tried to get the bunt down but those guys were crashing in. We’re always talking about the situations of the game. We’ve got to play aggressive and have to make things happen. That’s what makes this ballclub so good. We don’t play scared.”

With two outs, Shaw (1-4) walked Alex Gordon and Cheslor Cuthbert. Manship was summoned to face Paulo Orlando, who hit a go-ahead single. Whit Merrifield walked to load the bases before Dyson cleared them with his first career grand slam and his first home run of the season.

“I let the whole team down,” Manship said. “I let Corey down, Brian down, giving up his runs. That stinks, for sure. I definitely feel sick to my stomach for how that went.”

Will the Indians be playing Dyson deeper Tuesday?

“No, because it’s an accident,” Dyson said. “I knew it was gone. It felt great off the bat. They don’t happen to me very often, so I take advantage of that.”

Kluber, tagged by the Royals for eight runs in five innings on June 15 at Kauffman Stadium, struck out eight and walked three in shutting them down. He has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his past five starts.

Francisco Lindor, who is hitting .439 with three home runs against the Royals this season, homered off Edinson Volquez in the first inning.

Luke Hochevar (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth to pick up the victory. After Chris Young gave up a run on two hits and a walk in the ninth, Wade Davis was called to get the final out, logging his 20th save in 22 chances.

ROYAL CLAIM TEPESCH

The Royals claimed RHP Nick Tepesch, a Kansas City native and a Missouri alum, off waivers from Oakland and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals are his fourth organization this year. The other two are Texas and Los Angeles, making one big league start for the Dodgers. He is 8-3 with a 3.96 in 17 minor league starts this year.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: C Yan Gomez was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder separation and is expected to be out six to eight weeks. C Roberto Perez, who has right thumb surgery in May, came off the DL and started. . RHP Zach McAllister (right hip discomfort) made a rehab appearance Monday for Triple-A Columbus, allowing one hit and no runs in one inning against Louisville.

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) was transferred to the 60-day DL. . OF Lorenzo Cain (strained left hamstring) took fly balls in right field in pregame drills. “He’s much better today than he was yesterday, but still not quite there,” Yost said.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar, who tops the American League with a 2.75 ERA, will start the middle game of the series.

Royals: LHP Brian Flynn makes his first start since Aug. 7, 2014, while with the Marlins. He is 1-0 with a 2.39 ERA in 13 relief appearances.

— Associated Press —