KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Foltynewicz pitched the best game of his young career and it came against the defending World Series champions.

Foltynewicz pitched a career-high eight scoreless innings, Kelly Johnson and A.J. Pierzynski each drove in two runs, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 Saturday night.

“This guy did a lot of special stuff,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of his 24-year-old starting right-hander. “Not only was his line terrific, eight innings of shutout baseball, but we made a couple of mistakes, didn’t turn a (double play) ball, and he covered it up. For a young player to be able to do that, it was nice to see.

“He pitched in, he pitched up, his breaking ball was, it might be one of the best breaking balls he’s had. He had it throughout the game and he maintained it throughout the game.”

Foltynewicz (1-1) got his first victory since Aug. 8, holding the Royals to seven hits, while striking out four and walking none.

“I attacked and let the defense do the work,” Foltynewicz said. ” The defense played their butt off.”

He has allowed two runs and 12 hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts in 15 innings in his past two starts.

“He was that good,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

The Braves (9-26) avoided matching the worst 35-game start in franchise history — 8-27, set by the 1911 Boston Braves.

Dillon Gee (0-1), making his first start for the Royals in place of the injured Chris Young, held the Braves scoreless on three hits over the first five innings, but retired only one of the six batters he faced in the sixth. He was charged with three runs and six hits, while striking out five and walking three in 5 1/3 innings.

“I just stopped locating the ball that last inning,” Gee said. “I left some pitches and they hit them, put good swings on them.”

The Royals, losers of 13 of 18, have not won consecutive games since April 21-22.

Foltynewicz came up with two big strikeouts in the first two innings to strand runners at third base. Kendrys Morales went down swinging in the first to leave Lorenzo Cain at third. Christian Colon struck out to end the second inning with Salvador Perez, who had doubled, at third base.

“We missed a couple of opportunities early,” Yost said.

Johnson’s opposite-field single with the bases loaded in the sixth scored Nick Markakis, who had walked, and Ender Inciarte, who doubled home Mallex Smith with the first run. Smith, who had three hits, led off the inning with a double.

Pierzynski’s two-out double in the eighth off Chien-Ming Wang drove in Johnson and Jeff Francoeur.

Smith led off the ninth with the Braves’ first triple of the season. They were the only the team in the majors without a three-base hit.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen said an MRI Friday revealed a Grade One right rotator cuff strain. “I saw the MRI myself. I’m an expert now with MRIs,” Medlen said. “There was some fluid in there, some inflammation, a little tight. It’s a best-case scenario. It wasn’t like a progressive type thing. For the most part it was pretty mild compared to what it could have been.”

BRAVES STARTERS

Over the past 13 games, Braves starting pitchers have logged a 2.89 ERA, allowing 26 earned runs in 81 innings.

LAVARNWAY RELEASED

The Braves released C Ryan Lavarnway, who was hitting .276 with Triple-A Gwinnett. Lavarnway hit .227 in 27 games last year with Atlanta and also appeared in 10 games with Baltimore. Lavarnway, who was drafted in 2008 out of Yale by the Red Sox, also appeared in 97 games from 2011-14 with Boston.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Matt Wisler, who held the Mets to one hit in eight scoreless innings in a May 3 victory, will start the series finale.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy will make his first start after throwing 18 innings in 16 relief appearances. He will be on a 50-pitch limit.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Edinson Volquez pitched seven effective innings, Alcides Escobar had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run and the Kansas City Royals beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 to open a six-game homestand Friday night.

The World Series champion Royals had dropped 12 of their previous 16 games, while the Braves, who have the worst record in the National League, lost for the 17th time in 25 games.

Volquez (4-3) picked up his first victory since April 21, snapping a three-game winless streak. Erick Aybar’s sacrifice fly in the seventh scored Jeff Francoeur, who led off the inning with a single, for the only run Volquez allowed.

Volquez, who threw 55 strikes in 83 pitches, allowed one run on six hits, walked none and struck out two.

Julio Teheran (0-4) is winless in eight starts this season, the longest winless streak of his career, despite a 1.48 ERA in his past five starts. Teheran held the Royals to two runs, one unearned, and four hits over seven innings.

Escobar led off the Royals’ first with a single to right and advanced to third on Francoeur’s two-base fielding error. Escobar scored on Lorenzo Cain’s groundout to Aybar.

Escobar’s two-out single in the second inning scored Cheslor Cuthbert, who has hit in all seven games he has played since being called up from Triple-A Omaha.

Braves rookie left-hander Hunter Cervenka, who had retired the past 30 hitters he had faced and not allowed a run in his first 15 major league appearances, gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in the eighth. Salvador Perez’s two-run single off Alexi Ogando was the key hit of the inning, while Kendrys Morales drove in the other run.

RARE GORDON ERROR

Royals LF Alex Gordon’s 188-game (187 of them starts) errorless streak ended in the fourth inning when he dropped Freddie Freeman’s fly. Gordon’s last error was Aug. 2, 2014, at Oakland.

YOST’S SLIM BOBBLEHEAD

There will be a Royals giveaway of 20,000 Ned Yost bobbleheads on Saturday. “There are two major features and they’re both wrong. My hair is way too gray and it’s got me skinny. I like that part of it,” the Royals manager said with a laugh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (fractured left thumb) played catch for the first time since going on the disabled list May 5.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz, who struck out eight and walked none in seven innings in a no-decision against Arizona on Sunday, will make his third start since being recalled May 3.

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee will make his first start since last June 14 while with the Mets. Yost said Gee, who threw 5 1/3 innings in relief Monday against the Yankees, will be on a 90-95 pitch count. “A lot depends on how stressful those innings are, too,” Gee said. “What kind of situations you are in can affect how you feel. I’m in a mindset how deep I can get within 75-80 pitches and go from there.”

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Headley, Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius hit early home runs and the New York Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3 Thursday night, sending the World Series champion Royals to their 12th loss in 16 games.

Kansas City dropped three of four at Yankee Stadium. Before the game, manager Ned Yost insisted he wasn’t worried about his team, saying “it’s a group that doesn’t panic.”

Nathan Eovaldi (3-2) worked around eight hits in five innings, and overcame getting struck on the leg by Lorenzo Cain’s hard one-hopper at the outset.

On Eovaldi’s last pitch, Salvador Perez nearly launched a go-ahead, three-run homer, but right fielder Carlos Beltran caught the ball at the top of the wall. Eovaldi wiped his brow as he walked off the mound while Perez put both hands on the top of his helmet.

Relievers Kirby Yates and Dellin Betances each followed with a perfect inning to hold a 5-3 lead. After the Yankees scored twice more, Andrew Miller worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Chasen Shreve threw a scoreless ninth.

Alex Gordon hit a solo home run and an RBI single for Kansas City. The Royals outhit the Yankees 9-7.

Ian Kennedy (4-3) lost in his first game back in the Bronx since the Yankees traded him after the 2009 season.

Castro homered in the first, then Headley connected in the second for his first extra-base hit this season — and ending a drought of 166 at-bats without a home run dating to last year. Gregorius added a two-run drive in the fourth.

Chien-Ming Wang, another former Yankees pitcher, gave up an RBI single to Castro and a bases-loaded walk to Brian McCann in the seventh.

ROSTER MOVE

The Yankees recalled lefty reliever Tyler Olson from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and sent down outfielder Ben Gamel. On Monday, Gamel got his first hit in the majors.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Chris Young (strained forearm) and RHP Kris Medlen (rotator cuff inflammation) were put on the 15-day disabled list. RHP Peter Moylan and LHP Scott Alexander came up from Triple-A.

Yankees: 1B Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup after missing two games because of neck spasms. He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts… OF Jacoby Ellsbury (hip) hasn’t played since last Friday. … LHP CC Sabathia (groin strain) is set for a bullpen session Friday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (3-3, 3.89 ERA) starts at home on Friday night against RHP Julio Teheran (0-3, 3.48) and the Braves. Atlanta has only played two games at Kauffman Stadium, both in 2013.

Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (0-5, 6.12) tries again for his first win when he faces ace Chris Sale (7-0, 1.79) and the visiting White Sox on Friday night.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer in yet another big first inning against Michael Pineda, and the slumping Kansas City Royals rebounded to beat the New York Yankees 7-3 Wednesday night.

Down by four runs six batters in, New York clawed back to 4-3 against Yordano Ventura before Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run single in the sixth against reliever Nick Goody.

Kendrys Morales added a solo homer in the seventh off Phil Coke as the Royals won for just the fourth time in their past 15 games.

After winning the opening two games of the four-game series, the Yankees were hoping to string together three straight victories for the first time since Sept. 1-4. They are 0-5 this year when attempting to win a third consecutive game.

Ventura (3-2), coming off losses at Seattle and Cleveland, gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Danny Duffy, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis followed with scoreless relief.

The World Series champions, just 16-17 this season, were boosted when Perez pulled a hanging slider for his fifth home run this season, a drive that came one day after his 26th birthday.

Winless in his past six starts, Pineda (1-4) has fallen behind early and often. He has a 15.43 ERA in the first inning this season, allowing 12 runs and 19 hits — five of them homers — in 38 at-bats. After the first, his ERA is 4.26.

Six of the first seven Royals reached, interrupted only by Alex Gordon’s sacrifice fly. Pineda settled down and left after a career-high 114 pitches with a 4-3 deficit. Goody hit Alcides Escobar on the back with a pitch, then allowed a two-run single to Cain, who had three homers and five RBI in Tuesday’s 10-7 loss.

Kansas City had been 0 for 13 this year with the bases loaded.

Pineda gave up six runs in 5 2/3 innings and walked four, his most since 2011. He needed 36 pitches to get through the first, when Eric Hosmer hit a key grounder that went under Dustin Ackley at first and into right field that put two on with one out.

New York was 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Yankees have scored just 11 runs during Pineda’s winless streak.

Carlos Beltran’s 399th home run, his third in three days, started New York’s comeback attempt in the second, when Chase Headley hit an RBI single. Starlin Castro, who hasn’t driven in a run since April 27, hit into an inning-ending forceout with the bases loaded.

Rookie Ben Gamel stranded a runner on third in the fourth, and the Yankees got just one run in the fifth after Castro’s double put runners at second and third with no outs. Brian McCann hit an RBI grounder, but Beltran and Ackley grounded out.

Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (hip), first baseman Mark Teixeira (neck) and designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (hamstring) once again sat out; because of the injuries, Aaron Hicks, Ackley and Gamel started for the second straight day.

THWACK

In addition to Escobar getting hit by Goody, Cain (knee) and Alex Gordon (elbow) were plunked by Pineda. Davis hit Brett Gardner on a thigh with two outs in the ninth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Royals manager Ned Yost said he had not yet received results of the MRI of RHP Chris Young’s right forearm.

Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (strained left groin) will throw a bullpen session this week and anticipates he will be activated from the DL as soon as May 20, the first day he is eligible. … Manager Joe Girardi said Rodriguez (strained right hamstring) also could be reinstated the first day he is eligible, on May 19. … Girardi said Ellsbury might play this weekend.

UP NEXT

Nathan Eovaldi (2-2) is scheduled to start for the Yankees in Thursday’s series finale and former Yankee Ian Kennedy (4-2) is slated to pitch for the Royals. Kennedy is among the AL leaders in ERA (2.13) and opponents’ batting average (.209). Eovaldi’s average four-seam fastball velocity of 97.7 mph is the highest among big league starting pitchers this year, according to Baseball Prospectus’ PITCH f/x data.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — When Aroldis Chapman takes the mound at his new home, the Yankee Stadium scoreboard spells his name in animated flames.

“Mucho fuego,” he said, meaning “there’s a lot of fire.”

Chapman got his first save for New York, capping a back-and-forth 10-7 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night as the Yankees overcame three home runs and five RBI from Lorenzo Cain.

“We would have lost 7-0 a couple of weeks ago,” said Brett Gardner, who doubled home the tiebreaking run off Kelvin Herrera (0-1) in a three-run eighth inning.

Chapman, who returned from a 29-game domestic violence suspension on Monday, worked around a walk in a hitless ninth for his first Yankees save, retiring Cain on a game-ending popup. Twelve of his 21 pitches were at least 100 mph, making it 19 of 38 in two appearances.

“I’d pay a ticket to watch that,” said Yankees catcher Brian McCann, who added a two-run double off the fence in right-center later in the eighth.

Chapman reached a peak velocity of 102.1 mph on Cheslor Cuthbert’s leadoff groundout. Fans’ energy increased throughout the ninth as they turned toward the scoreboard seeking the velocity of every pitch.

“When he comes in, there’s definitely more energy in the ballpark,” Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said.

With Teixeira (neck spasms), Jacoby Ellsbury (strained hip) and Alex Rodriguez (strained hamstring) sidelined, the Yankees started Dustin Ackley at first base, Aaron Hicks in center field and rookie Ben Gamel in right, shifting Carlos Beltran from right field to designated hitter.

Ackley scored two runs and drove in two, Hicks had two hits and an RBI, and the speedy Gamel scored the go-ahead run on Gardner’s hit after reaching when Gold Glove shortstop Alcides Escobar allowed his one-out grounder to bounce out of his glove for an error.

New York (13-18) trailed 2-1, 3-2 and 6-5 before winning for the fourth time in five games.

“This is the first time that we’ve battled back through a game a couple different times,” McCann said. “Guys had some quality at-bats and huge moments, and we really haven’t done that all year.”

New York is 13-3 when scoring three or more runs — and 0-15 when scoring two or fewer. With 28 runs in the first five games of a 10-game homestand, the Yankees’ offense is starting to revive.

“Maybe it’s the weather heating up. It’s not raining on us,” manager Joe Girardi said. “All of a sudden I think we’re swinging the bats like we’re capable of.”

Still, the last-place Yankees are six games off the AL East lead. The immediate goal is to get back to .500.

“That’s your first step,” Girardi said. “More than that, I think it’s winning series that’s important. And if you win series, that will all take care of itself.”

World Series champion Kansas City has lost 11 of 14, dropping two games under .500 at 15-17. The Royals rallied from deficits of 1-0, 5-3 and 7-6 as Cain tied his career high with five RBI. Cuthbert also homered for the Royals, who have hit six home runs in the first two games of the series.

“We’re just not getting many breaks right now, but you make your own breaks,” manager Ned Yost said. “Not anything good happening for us for the most part.”

Cain hit a solo homer in the third and a three-run drive in the fifth, both off Masahiro Tanaka, who did not have a sharp slider. Cain added a tying homer off Andrew Miller (2-0) leading off the eighth and became the seventh Royals player to hit three homers in a regular-season game. George Brett and John Mayberry did it twice, and Brett also accomplished the feat against the Yankees in the 1978 AL Championship Series.

“I had a good night,” Cain said, “but at the end of the day we lost.”

MILLER TIME

Miller allowed a run for the first time this season.

TROUBLED TANAKA

In his first start against the Royals, the only AL opponent he had not faced, Tanaka matched career highs by allowing six earned runs and three homers in seven innings. “If you look back at some of the previous games, I think I got away with some mistakes, but that wasn’t the case today,” he said through a translator.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Teixeira wasn’t sure whether he could play Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Michael Pineda (1-3) starts for the Yankees on Wednesday night against Yordano Ventura (2-2). Pineda is winless in five starts.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Kansas City Royals infield prospect Raul Mondesi was suspended for 50 games following a positive test for Clenbuterol, negotiating a 30-game reduction from the usual penalty for a banned steroid after providing evidence he ingested the drug in an over-the-counter medication.

The penalty, announced Tuesday, was reached as part of an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association. As part of the deal, Mondesi remains eligible to appear in this year’s postseason, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.

“I took an over-the-counter medication (Subrox-C), which I bought in the Dominican Republic to treat cold and flu symptoms,” Mondesi said in a statement released by the union. “I failed to read the labeling on the medication or consult with my trainer or team about taking it and did not know it contained a banned substance. … It is solely my mistake, and there are no excuses for my carelessness in not being fully informed of what I put in my body.”

A son of former NL Rookie of the Year Raul Mondesi, 20-year-old Raul Mondesi last year became the first player to make his big league debut in the World Series. He has spent this year on option to Double-A Northwest Arkansas and is hitting .250 with five homers, 15 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 25 games.

Because of the suspension, he will lose $11,311 of his $41,400 salary while in the minor leagues. If called up to the major leagues, he gets paid at the rate of the $507,500 minimum.

Clenbuterol is used to treat congestion. A positive test for the drug caused New York Mets reliever Guillermo Mota to be suspended for 100 games in 2012.

An initial positive test for performance-enhancing drugs resulted in a 50-game suspension from 2006 through 2013, and the penalty was increased in March 2014 to 80 games. Mondesi could have appealed to arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, who would have held a hearing to decide whether there was just cause for the discipline, but the sides reached their agreement.

Mondesi provided evidence under section 8.B.3 of the joint drug agreement, the person familiar with the agreement said. That provision states “a player is not in violation of the program if the presence of the prohibited substance in his test result was not due to his fault or negligence.”

“It just shows you, you can’t take anything nowadays over the counter or anything without consulting the training staff first,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “You can fail a drug test with an energy drink. We try to do our best to inform these guys, look, you don’t take anything without letting a trainer know exactly what it is and getting an OK from him.”

Yost said he understands what happens in these instances.

“Subconsciously, you go into a store and you buy something for a cold. How much damage can that do?” he said. “Well, you find out it can do a lot of damage. It can cost you 50 games.”

Kansas City added Mondesi to its Series roster in case Ben Zobrist had to leave the team to be with his wife, who was due to give birth. He pinch hit in the fifth inning of Game 3 against the New York Mets and struck out on four pitches.

“This is an unfortunate incident that we believe to be an innocent mistake, but these are the consequences that players face when they do not adhere to the policies that have been collectively bargained,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement. “We have a protocol in place with our medical team should a player ever have questions about what they may be taking, even if an over-the-counter medication. In this particular case the protocol was not followed.”

Mondesi is the ninth player suspended this year under the big league drug program. Miami second baseman Dee Gordon was suspended for 80 games, as were Cleveland outfielder Abraham Almonte, Cincinnati outfielder Juan Duran, free-agent catcher Taylor Teagarden, Philadelphia pitcher Daniel Stumpf, Toronto first baseman Chris Colabello and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Ravin.

New York Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia received a permanent ban following a third positive test.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Early power, late heat. Now that Aroldis Chapman is available in the bullpen, that’s the game plan for the New York Yankees.

Carlos Beltran hit two of New York’s five solo homers in the first three innings off an ineffective Chris Young, and Chapman allowed a run in his Yankees debut before closing out a 6-3 victory over the slumping Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

“I felt good out there for being my first outing,” Chapman said through a translator. “Very excited and happy to see the fans receive me the way they did, but I was looking to stay focused and get the job done.”

Brian McCann, Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks also went deep to help New York win the opener of a four-game set against the defending World Series champions.

Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer homered for the Royals, who have lost 10 of 13.

“We didn’t really deal with anything like this last year and I think this will be a good test for us to see what we’re made of,” Hosmer said.

Ivan Nova gave the last-place Yankees (12-18) a solid effort in his first start of the season, pitching in place of injured lefty CC Sabathia. Nova was pulled after 81 pitches — one out short of qualifying for a win — but New York’s fortified bullpen held Kansas City at bay.

“Maybe this gets us going,” manager Joe Girardi said.

Chapman, a four-time All-Star with a fastball that often exceeds 100 mph, was eligible to pitch for the first time with the Yankees after serving a 29-game suspension under baseball’s new domestic violence policy. The left-hander from Cuba was obtained from Cincinnati for four prospects in December.

He entered to a warm ovation in a non-save situation with a 6-2 lead in the ninth and drew gasps from the crowd by firing his first four pitches 100-101 mph. Chapman struck out his first two batters before pinch-hitter Paulo Orlando doubled to deep center field and scored on a sharp single by Alcides Escobar.

Lorenzo Cain bounced back to the mound for the final out.

Chapman threw seven of his 17 pitches at least 100 mph, including six that topped 101 mph.

“It’s tougher than I thought. I mean, it’s hard to see. But it was nice to get him back, get him in the mix,” said McCann, the Yankees’ catcher. “It’s a huge weapon for us.”

When winner Kirby Yates (2-0) preserved a 5-1 lead in the sixth, Girardi had an opportunity to try out his formidable new 1-2-3 combination of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Chapman over the final three innings.

Girardi, however, stayed with Yates for a perfect seventh and went to left-hander Chasen Shreve in the eighth after Hicks added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Betances and Miller both warmed up in the bullpen during the late innings, but neither was brought into the game.

“I felt that if we could not use them, it’d be great,” Girardi said. “If we got in a situation where I felt that I needed them, I wanted to make sure they were ready.”

Phil Coke, called up Friday from Triple-A, retired Hosmer on a deep fly with runners at the corners to end the fifth. It was his first appearance for the Yankees since Game 5 of the 2009 World Series.

Young (1-5) served up a career-high five homers in 2 2/3 innings. He has allowed 13 long balls in seven starts this season, including nine in his last three outings.

“It’s a horrible feeling, feeling like you’re letting a team down and not even giving them a chance,” Young said. “The life on the ball isn’t there for whatever reason. I don’t know why.”

MEMORY MAKER

Yankees rookie Ben Gamel singled in the eighth, his first major league plate appearance. “Words can’t describe it, man. It was awesome,” he said. “I was just excited.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: With 3B Mike Moustakas (broken left thumb) on the 15-day disabled list, rookie Cheslor Cuthbert made his third straight start at the hot corner since being recalled from Triple-A Omaha.

Yankees: 2B Starlin Castro was given his first day off this season after tweaking his lower back Sunday night and coming out of the game late. He was available off the bench. Castro said he felt better and was ready to play. Ronald Torreyes started at second. … CF Jacoby Ellsbury (hip) missed his third consecutive game and isn’t expected to play Tuesday, either. “Hopefully, shortly after that,” Girardi said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (1-3, 6.85 ERA) pitches Tuesday night, hoping to rebound from perhaps the worst start of his career as he tries to avoid his first four-game losing streak.

Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 2.29 ERA) has not yielded more than two earned runs in any of his six starts this season. He’s taken a shutout into at least the seventh inning in each of the past two.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Starter and stopper. Josh Tomlin is handling both roles for the Indians.

The dependable right-hander stayed unbeaten and again helped Cleveland bounce back after a loss, leading the Indians over the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Sunday.

Tomlin (5-0) worked into the seventh inning and became the first Indians pitcher to win his first five outings since Justin Masterson in 2011. He’s also been the one to get the Indians back on track, improving to 12-0 with a 2.82 ERA following a Cleveland loss since the beginning of last season.

“That’s why he’s a leader on this team,” catcher Yan Gomes said. “Anytime he comes in to pitch, whether he’s scuffling a little bit or not, he’s a bulldog.”

Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli homered off Edinson Volquez (3-3) as the Indians took two of three from the defending World Series champions.

Eric Hosmer homered for the struggling Royals, just 3-9 in their last 12.

Kansas City closed to 5-4 in the seventh, but Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor threw out Cheslor Cuthbert at the plate and reliever Bryan Shaw got Alcides Escobar to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Cutberth, who was called up from the minors when third baseman Mike Moustakas went on the disabled list, should have reacted more quickly on Jarrod Dyson’s grounder.

“He just got a real late break on it,” Yost said. “It just wasn’t a good read.”

Shaw worked the eighth, and Cody Allen finished for his eighth save in eight chances.

The Indians have confidence in Tomlin, and he delivered another solid outing as Cleveland improved to 10-4 against the AL Central. Tomlin doesn’t have an overpowering fastball like most of Cleveland’s other starters, but there isn’t a pitcher the team trusts as much.

“You got to beat him, and sometimes you do, but he manages the game,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “You can say so many good things. He just loves competing. You can tell, he loves being out there.”

Not surprisingly, the unassuming Tomlin is taking his success in stride.

“I’m just doing my job,” he said. “It means I’m going out there and giving them a chance to win, not always the best statistical-wise maybe, but it’s a chance to win.”

Clinging to 3-2 a lead, Volquez didn’t like something with the mound and asked for maintenance before pitching in the fifth. The grounds crew fixed the dirt for him and then the Indians did some work on the right-hander, scoring three times to go ahead 5-3.

Michael Brantley tied it with an RBI single, and Lonnie Chisenhall’s bloop single gave Cleveland a 4-3 lead and chased Volquez, who walked four in 4 1/3 innings.

Marlon Byrd then made it 5-3 with a ground-rule RBI double off Danny Duffy.

Santana led off the first with his fifth homer, on Volquez’s second pitch. It was Santana’s second game-opening homer and first since April 22 against Detroit’s Justin Verlander in his first at-bat atop Cleveland’s lineup.

PRETTY IN PINK

Both teams used pink bats, wore pink-highlighted uniforms and several players wore pink cleats on Mother’s Day to bring awareness to the fight against breast cancer.

“It’s very deserving,” Tomlin said of the tribute. “I know what my mom did for me growing up, taking me to tournaments, taking me to fall ball, summer ball, high school. She was always available, and it wasn’t for her being able to do that then I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

LONNIE IN CENTER

Chisenhall made his first career start in center field and handled all three balls hit his way.

“He’s a good outfielder,” Francona said of the converted third baseman. “With repetition, he’ll be more comfortable.”

SHAW’S TURNAROUND

After a rough start this season, Shaw has settled in. He’s given up just one hit in his six appearances, striking out seven.

“This is as good as we’ve seen him throw the ball,” Francona said.

UP NEXT

Royals: Chris Young (1-4) pitches the opener of a four-game series at the New York Yankees. Of the 19 runs Young has allowed, 13 have come on homers.

Indians: Corey Kluber (2-3), coming off a complete game shutout of Detroit, faces Houston’s Mike Fiers as Cleveland begins a three-game series with the Astros. Kluber is 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA in four starts against Houston.

— Associated Press —