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 —

DETROIT (AP) — Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s drive to right field sailed toward the wall, and the Detroit catcher immediately raised his right arm in celebration.

Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Tigers a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Those were the only two RBI of the day for Detroit, which scored its first two runs of the game on a balk and a wild pitch.

“It felt really good, because I was starting to get a little gassed,” Saltalamacchia said. “It’s been seven or eight days since I’ve played, so I was ready to get out of there.”

After Tyler Collins hit a leadoff single, Saltalamacchia won it with a homer off Joakim Soria (3-4) that easily cleared the wall in right. Francisco Rodriguez (1-0) pitched a perfect top of the ninth for the win.

Detroit hasn’t gotten much offense from its catchers lately. Saltalamacchia is batting .206 even after his big hit Sunday, and James McCann is even lower at .199. Saltalamacchia does have nine homers, though, and his power handed the Royals a tough loss the day before the start of their big series with AL Central-leading Cleveland.

“That was an inside fastball, right where I wanted it, but he’s a professional baseball player, too, and he hit it hard,” Soria said. “You don’t want to lose, but I made the pitch I wanted and he hit it. Nothing you can do about that.”

Detroit rookie Michael Fulmer allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings. Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura allowed two runs and eight hits in seven innings.

The Royals led 2-0 when Detroit began chipping away in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Ventura struck out Miguel Cabrera, but with Victor Martinez up, the Kansas City right-hander was called for a balk, allowing a run to score.

Ventura struck out Martinez to end the inning, but with two outs in the sixth, he gave up a drive to the gap in right-center by Nick Castellanos that became a triple when the Royals had issues getting the ball back in. Castellanos came home on a wild pitch.

Kansas City opened the scoring in the second on an RBI double by Cheslor Cuthbert, and Eric Hosmer added a run-scoring single in the third.

STREAK SNAPPED

Fulmer allowed more than one earned run for the first time in 10 starts, but he was able to pitch deep into the game after the Tigers used several relievers the previous night. Mike Pelfrey, their starter Saturday, didn’t make it out of the second inning.

“The bullpen was taxed yesterday,” Fulmer said. “My goal was seven innings, and to run back out for the eighth was pretty cool.”

SHAKEN UP

Plate umpire D.J. Reyburn was hit around the neck when a third strike eluded Saltalamacchia in the eighth. The Tigers caught a break when the ball didn’t go to the backstop — after it hit Reyburn, Saltalamacchia was able to pick it up and throw to first to retire Hosmer.

Reyburn stayed in the game after a brief delay.

“I feel terrible. His kids were in the stands watching,” Saltalamacchia said. “Yanked changeup. I probably should have done a better job getting to it, but thankfully he’s OK.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Warwick Saupold (right groin strain) made a rehab start Saturday night for Class A Lakeland. He allowed four unearned runs and three hits with three walks in 2 2/3 innings.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (8-8) starts against Cleveland’s Corey Kluber (9-8) on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series against the Indians.

Tigers: Detroit starts a three-game set against Minnesota with LHP Matt Boyd (0-2) on the mound against Ricky Nolasco (4-7).

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — The Kansas City Royals probably would have won this game without Wade Davis — but having their closer back on the mound was still a comforting sight.

Davis pitched a perfect ninth inning in his return from a strained forearm, and the Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Saturday night. Davis was activated from the disabled list before the game, and Kansas City went ahead and used him in a non-save situation.

“It felt really good,” Davis said. “Felt smooth, felt easy — a little bit erratic as far as where the ball is going, but other than that, it felt pretty good.”

Salvador Perez singled, doubled, scored a run and drew two of Kansas City’s seven walks. The Royals scored four runs in the first inning off Mike Pelfrey, who didn’t make it out of the second. Every hitter in Kansas City’s lineup scored exactly once except right fielder Paulo Orlando.

Danny Duffy (5-1) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City. He struck out seven and walked one.

Ian Kinsler homered for Detroit, but the Tigers were facing a significant deficit before they even came up to bat for the first time. Pelfrey (2-9) allowed five runs, four hits and four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

“I was terrible. Didn’t get ahead, and half the guys I faced either got walks or hits. I was terrible,” Pelfrey said. “This game’s on me. I put the bullpen in a bad spot, I put the offense in a bad spot, and I take full responsibility for it. I was terrible. I got what I deserved.”

Pelfrey actually retired the first batter of the game, but the next six Kansas City hitters reached base. Alex Gordon opened the scoring with a bases-loaded single, and Pelfrey then hit Orlando to force in another run. Cheslor Cuthbert’s RBI single made it 3-0, and Christian Colon brought home another run with a groundout.

After allowing a single and two walks in the second, Pelfrey was pulled with the bases loaded and two outs. Reliever Dustin Molleken immediately threw a wild pitch that made it 5-1.

Kinsler’s two-run homer in the third cut the lead in half, but the Royals added three more runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Colon, Jarrod Dyson and Eric Hosmer.

WAITING HIM OUT

The Royals aren’t a team that walks much, but they adjusted when it became clear Pelfrey was having control problems.

“We put in some good at-bats there in the first inning,” Hosmer said. “A lot of guys toned down the aggressiveness a little bit, wanted to see some pitches.”

TRANSACTION

The Tigers optioned OF Steven Moya to Triple-A Toledo after the game. They’ll have OF Justin Upton back from the bereavement list for Sunday’s game against Kansas City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Davis hadn’t pitched since June 30. … Manager Ned Yost said OF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring strain) might go out on a rehab assignment next week.

Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique strain) is expected to begin rehab work with Toledo next week. … RHP Jordan Zimmermann (right neck strain) said he’ll probably throw a bullpen session Monday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (6-7) takes the mound in the series finale Sunday. He’s 6-0 with a 3.27 ERA in his career against the Tigers.

Tigers: Rookie RHP Michael Fulmer (9-2) tries for his 10th consecutive start allowing one earned run or fewer.

— Associated Press —

DETROIT (AP) — A year after the Detroit Tigers traded away stars at the deadline, Justin Verlander is trying to prevent that from happening again.

“You don’t want to be sellers. Obviously we went through that last year, and it was tough for everybody here, especially when you’ve got a lot of guys in this clubhouse that are used to winning,” Verlander said. “We are a good club, and we’ve just got to go out there and prove it.”

Verlander struck out 10 in seven innings, and the Tigers scored three runs in the seventh to rally past Kansas City 4-2 on Friday night.

Victor Martinez drove in two runs with a single in the seventh when his comebacker deflected off reliever Joakim Soria and rolled to the area between first and second. With the second baseman playing way out in shallow right field, the Royals couldn’t retire Martinez, and two runners scored on the play.

“I’d rather give up a double up the gap than do that, because I had a chance to get us out of the inning, and I didn’t take it,” Soria said. “I made the pitches, but didn’t field my position.”

Detroit’s Tyler Collins hit a solo homer earlier in the inning off Luke Hochevar (1-2) to tie the game at 2. Ian Kinsler also homered for the Tigers.

Verlander (9-6) allowed one earned run and four hits. Justin Wilson pitched the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances.

Detroit traded David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Soria during a disappointing 2015. The Tigers have been better this year, but they came into the day trailing by 6 1/2 games in the AL Central and by four in the race for a wild card.

Collins was called up from the minors before the game to replace Justin Upton, who was put on the bereavement list. Collins was 2 for 22 with Detroit this season before his seventh-inning homer tied the game. After consecutive singles by Jose Iglesias and Kinsler, Soria came on and walked Cameron Maybin to load the bases with one out.

After falling behind 3-0 on Miguel Cabrera, Soria recovered to strike out the Detroit slugger, but Martinez followed with his grounder that turned into a two-run single.

Verlander struck out the side in the first, and Kinsler led off the bottom half with a homer, but Detroit couldn’t add to that lead. With men on first and second in the sixth, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez lifted a deep drive to right that Steven Moya couldn’t handle. Perez ended up with an RBI double, and another run came home on the play thanks to a throwing error by Kinsler.

Kansas City starter Ian Kennedy allowed a run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.

RETURN

The most memorable thing Collins did with the Tigers earlier this season was extend a middle finger toward booing home fans back in April. He heard plenty of cheers Friday after his big home run.

“It feels great, definitely,” Collins said. “It feels better to get the win.”

RESPECT

Royals manager Ned Yost, who was the American League skipper at the All-Star Game, talked a bit about Cabrera’s gesture in Tuesday’s game in which he insisted Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer get another at-bat to try to boost his MVP case. Cabrera didn’t replace Hosmer until the seventh inning of that game.

“What’s really unique about the All-Star Game for me is that you get 34 guys from different organizations that you’re screaming at and yelling at one day from across the field, but you walk into that clubhouse door and it’s amazing how they unite into a team for two days,” Yost said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Yost said OF Lorenzo Cain (left hamstring) is probably at about 85 percent. Cain is eligible to come off the DL whenever the Royals feel he’s ready.

Tigers: Manager Brad Ausmus said LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique) was probably a couple of days away from a bullpen session. … RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) said he would probably do long-toss Saturday.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (4-1) starts Saturday night against the Tigers. He has struck out at least seven hitters in four straight starts. The last Kansas City pitcher to do it in five straight starts was Zack Greinke, when he won the Cy Young Award in 2009.

Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-8) tries for his third straight quality start.

— Associated Press —

WASHINGTON (AP) — The 2015 World Champion Kansas City Royals will meet President Barack Obama at the White House on July 21.

The White House announced the visit Thursday, continuing the tradition of presidents meeting sports teams that win championships.

The White House also released a video featuring White House press secretary Josh Earnest, a Kansas City native. The video shows Earnest wearing a Royals cap and using a team mug as he fills a jug with water.

“We’re getting ready for you Salvy,” Earnest says, in a nod to Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who douses teammates with Gatorade or water after winning home games.

The trip will be the organization’s first trip to the White House since the 1985 World Series champions met President Ronald Reagan.