CLEVELAND (AP) — A die-hard fan of mixed-martial arts, Indians catcher Yan Gomes wore a T-shirt following Sunday’s game with “Throat Punch” written on the front.

The clothing choice was fitting.

Cleveland blasted Kansas City with all it had.

Gomes hit a grand slam to highlight a nine-run second inning against two Royals rookie left-handers and the Indians completed a three-game shutout sweep over one of their AL Central rivals with a 12-0 win on Sunday.

The Indians thoroughly dominated the Royals over three days at Progressive Field, outscoring them 20-0 while posting three consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1956.

“It’s unbelievable, man,” Gomes said. “It’s definitely something. You start taking it in and it’s like, `All right, let’s keep it going.”

Carlos Carrasco (13-6) allowed six hits in seven innings as the Indians moved 17 games over .500 for the first time this season and opened a nine-game lead in the division over the Royals, who came to town thinking they could close the gap on the AL champions.

Instead, Kansas City is staggering home in the midst of the longest scoring drought — now at 34 innings — in team history.

“It’s over,” second baseman Whit Merrifield said. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. We all know we’re struggling. We know we haven’t scored a run in however long it’s been and guys are trying to take it upon themselves a little too much.”

Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer in the second off Eric Skoglund (1-2) before Carlos Santana connected for a three-run shot against Onelki Garcia. Gomes capped Cleveland’s biggest inning this season with his drive off the reliever, who was promoted from the minors Saturday and made his first major league appearance since 2013.

Carrasco followed strong starts by Ryan Merritt and Mike Clevinger in shutting down the Royals. Of course, it helped that he took the mound in the third with a 12-run lead.

And while the Indians have bigger goals that winning their division, manager Terry Francona said it was good to open some distance over a dangerous team.

“We have a lot of respect for their pedigree,” he said. “They’ve been there and done it. I don’t think it’s wrong to have a healthy respect for who you’re playing, as long as you don’t back down. But we did a really good job this weekend. Now, we turn the page real quick because we got a nice road trip coming up.”

The Indians showed no mercy in the second when they teed off on Skoglund and Garcia. The Royals were in a bind after placing scheduled starter Danny Duffy on the disabled list Saturday with a sore elbow.

Already down 3-0, Skoglund gave up a leadoff single before Lindor hit his 24th homer. Austin Jackson followed with a double, and Skoglund yielded a one-out walk before being pulled. Garcia came on and Santana belted his second pitch off the left-field foul pole for his 20th homer.

The Indians loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Gomes connected for his ninth homer and second career slam.

Cleveland didn’t waste any time getting to Skoglund, who hadn’t pitched for the Royals since June 9 and found himself in a quick 3-0 hole.

Lindor walked and Jackson singled before Jose Ramirez, who came in batting just .130 (3 for 23) on the homestand, pulled an RBI double down the left-field line. Edwin Encarnacion followed with an RBI groundout and Brandon Guyer drove in Cleveland’s third run with a two-out, run-scoring single.

ZEROED IN

Cleveland leads the majors with 15 shutouts, six of them coming against Kansas City. The Royals have been blanked a baseball-best 13 times.

SHORT STORY

Lindor’s 24 homers are the second-most in club history for a shortstop. The All-Star batted .360 during the homestand with four homers and seven RBI.

He also presented his teammates and coaching staff with bath robes.

“I don’t think I’ll ever wear it in public, but I did enjoy it,” Francona cracked.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: An MRI taken on Duffy showed no structural damage and nothing alarming. Manager Ned Yost said his status will be re-evaluated when the team returns home.

Indians: OF Lonnie Chisenhall went 0 for 3 and played left at Double-A Akron as he nears a return from a calf injury. … OF Abraham Almonte (strained hamstring) is scheduled to play Monday at Triple-A Columbus. … RHP Danny Salazar will throw off flat ground Monday as he recovers from a stiff elbow that landed him on the disabled list.

UP NEXT

Royals: Ian Kennedy, who hasn’t beaten Tampa Bay since his major league debut for the Yankees in 2007, starts the opener of a three-game series. The right-hander is 0-4 against the Rays over the past 10 seasons.

Indians: Corey Kluber can help his Cy Young candidacy on the Yankee Stadium stage as Cleveland opens an 11-game road trip in the Bronx.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ryan Merritt didn’t look like a rookie Friday night.

Merritt pitched a career-high 6 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians recorded their AL-leading 13th shutout with a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.

“He’s not breaking the radar gun, but when he’s pitching like that he’s so fun to watch,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Merritt (1-0) was called up from Triple-A Columbus before the game to take the injured Danny Salazar’s spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old left-hander scattered seven hits for his second career win, both coming against Kansas City.

Merritt is beginning his fifth stint with the Indians this season.

“Going up and down is better than not coming up,” he said. “I appreciate the opportunity. I want to be that guy they can call upon when they need to.”

Three relievers finished the eight-hitter for the AL Central leaders, who stayed 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place Minnesota.

Kansas City left-hander Jason Vargas (14-8) allowed four runs in five innings. He has dropped four of his five August starts.

Francisco Lindor hit a two-run drive in the fifth for his 23rd homer of the season. Cleveland also scored twice in the second on Giovanny Urshela’s double and Austin Jackson’s single.

Merritt retired the first two hitters in the seventh in his third major league start of the season, but was pulled after walking Cheslor Cuthbert and giving up a single to Alex Gordon. Joe Smith then retired Whit Merrifield on a line drive to right.

Merritt made four regular-season appearances last season and is best remembered for his performance in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series against Toronto. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings in the win that put the Indians in the World Series.

Merritt’s performance bailed out Cleveland’s injury-ravaged rotation. Fans were so appreciative that they helped fill the registry for his wedding that took place in the offseason.

Lindor’s home run came on a 3-0 pitch and landed in the left-field bleachers.

“I wasn’t trying to get something over,” Vargas said. “I had a good idea he was swinging, I was trying to throw a fastball up. I just threw it on the inner half and belt high.”

Third-place Kansas City fell to seven games out in the division. Catcher Salvador Perez, who was out for two weeks with a right intercostal strain, was checked by a team trainer after a fourth-inning single but remained in the game.

BRIGHT SPOT

Gordon, batting .198 going into the game, was 3 for 3 with a double.

“It was good,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “I had a gut feeling Gordy would be the guy, and he ended up getting three hits.”

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

Smith was wearing the pants Indians players use for their pregame workouts during the game. Francona kidded him about it when removing him in the eighth.

“I told (pitching coach) Mickey Callaway, `I want him to get this out so bad because I want to go out there and tell him that he looks so dumb.’ I couldn’t wait,” Francona said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas didn’t start for the second straight game because of a sore knee.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (strained left hamstring) made his first rehab start, allowing five runs — three earned — in 3 2/3 innings at Single-A Mahoning Valley. … 1B Carlos Santana returned after missing three games because of back tightness.

UP NEXT

Kansas City right-hander Jason Hammel (6-9, 4.73 ERA) defeated the Indians on Sunday, allowing three runs in six innings. He has won all three starts against Cleveland this season. Right-hander Mike Clevinger (6-5, 3.97 ERA) will start against the Royals for the third time this season. He has a win and a no-decision against Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Colorado manager Bud Black expressed faith in Greg Holland before the game, saying he did not intend to remove his struggling closer from that role.

Holland was summoned to protect a one-run lead Thursday and he worked a flawless ninth for his 36th save as the Rockies beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2.

Holland allowed Eric Hosmer’s game-ending, three-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday night and was 0-4 with three blown saves in his previous six appearances.

“You have games in a row where your command is not where you expect it to be,” Holland said. “I guess there is sometimes a little bit of `What are we going to get today?’ But, I cleaned a few things up. Today, the ball was going towards my target like I’m used to seeing.

“When you get the line out from the first batter it makes it a lot easier, when you get that first hitter out.”

Pat Valaika hit a two-run homer off Mike Minor with two outs in the eighth inning to give the Rockies a lead.

“I faced him the night before, so I knew he liked his slider on the hands a little bit, so kind of in the back of my mind,” Valaika said. “That’s where he threw it and I didn’t miss it.”

Valaika snapped an 0-for-12 slide, driving a full-count breaking ball from Minor (5-6) to left after Gerardo Parra singled.

“It was a terrible pitch,” Minor said. “I just hung it. It didn’t have good break on it, no spin, not much depth to it.”

Adam Ottavino (2-3) struck out two in a perfect seventh.

The Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak with just their fifth victory in 17 games.

Rookie Jake Junis limited the Rockies to one run and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He matched his career high with seven strikeouts and walked one. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in three August starts, walking one and striking out 16 in 19 1/3 innings.

“Junis was fantastic,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He had a really good slider, a lot of swings and misses on his slider. He spotted his fastball extremely well. Junis was very impressive.”

Whit Merrifield and Brandon Moss led off the Royals’ first and second innings with home runs. It was Merrifield’s third career leadoff home run, all this season, and his eighth hit in 15 at-bats. Moss hit his 17th home run, 14 with the bases empty.

Rockies starter German Marquez allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.

Raimel Tapia singled in Parra in the sixth for Colorado’s first run.

Royals reliever Peter Moylan got three outs on seven pitches. He got DJ LaMahieu to roll into a double play to end the seventh, and retired Nolan Arenado, who singled in his first two at-bats, on a comebacker to start the eighth.

“This is a tough loss,” Yost said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (left knee inflammation) is scheduled to throw another simulated game this weekend in Atlanta. Black said if “he comes out of that fine” Anderson would go out on a rehab assignment. “He could conceivably start a game” in September, Black said.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas has a sore knee and was not in the lineup, but flied out as pinch hitter to end the game. Yost said Moustakas heard his knee pop on his final at-bat. “It’s not anything we’re concerned about,” Yost said. “We’re going to just give him a day off. We might DH him a day or two, depending on how he feels tomorrow.”

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis will make his third start since returning from battling testicular cancer in the series opener at Atlanta on Friday night.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who is 2-4 with a 7.15 ERA in eight starts since July 1, will start Friday night at Cleveland. He was 12-3 with an American League-leading 2.22 ERA at the end of June.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning off former Kansas City teammate Greg Holland, lifting the Royals over the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Wednesday night.

Hosmer’s 21st home run of the season was the first game-ending shot of his career.

Holland (2-5) fell to 0-4 with one save in four opportunities in his past six games, allowing 10 hits, three home runs and 12 runs over five innings. The former Royals closer issued a leadoff walk in the ninth, gave up a two-out single to Melky Cabrera and then was tagged by Hosmer on a 1-1 pitch.

Brandon Maurer (2-1) pitched the ninth.

Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado homered for the Rockies in a matchup of playoff contenders.

Blackmon hit his career-high 30th. He became the first National League leadoff man to reach 30 home runs since Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins in 2008.

Arenado, who has homered in back-to-back games, hit his 29th in the first. He leads the majors with 108 RBI and 74 extra-base hits.

Arenado has a major league leading .430 batting average in the first inning.

Rockies rookie Antonio Senzatela allowed nine hits but just two runs in five innings.

Ian Kennedy failed to make it out of the fifth for Kansas City, yielding three runs on seven hits, including two home runs. In his past two starts, he has surrendered eight runs on 13 hits, including four home runs, in 7 1/3 innings.

Kennedy is 0-6 with a 5.97 ERA in 12 home starts this season. He has a franchise record of 16 winless starts since beating the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 20, 2016.

Whit Merrifield had four hits for the Royals, matching his career high.

PEREZ WON’T DH

Royals C Salvador Perez has been the DH 13 games this season, but he won’t be used in that role again this season. He strained his right intercostal swinging on Aug. 4 and missed 15 games. “When you’re catching, you’re staying loose and you’re staying mobile,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “When you’re DHing, you have an at-bat and then sit. It’s probably something we won’t entertain.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: IF-OF Ian Desmond (right calf strain) will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Albuquerque. If he has no setbacks, Desmond could be activated Sunday. . LHP Tyler Anderson (left knee inflammation) threw a 45-to-50 pitch three inning simulated game. He will throw another simulated game before going out on a rehab assignment. “This is more about, I think, the knee strength moving forward,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “His arm has felt pretty good all year.

Royals: RHP Kelvin Herrera will circumvent a trip to the disabled list after being removed in the ninth inning Tuesday with forearm tightness. The Royals do not expect their closer will miss much time, if any.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP German Marquez is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts against American League clubs.

Royals: RHP Jake Junis has a 4.79 ERA in his eight major league starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Duffy was not pleased with his bullpen warmup. Once the game started he had no-hit stuff.

Duffy and four relievers combined on a two-hitter, helping the Kansas City Royals hold off the Colorado Rockies 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Duffy took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and retired the first two batters before walking DJ LeMahieu and allowing a homer to Nolan Arenado. The Rockies star third baseman squared up a 1-1 pitch and hit it out for his 28th home run.

“Sometimes when the bullpen is bad, it translates into a really good game,” Duffy said. “I wasn’t really getting extension very well in the bullpen. I took it right out to the game and sure enough it was pretty solid.”

Duffy (8-8), who was 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in his first three starts in August, was removed after six innings and 88 pitches. He walked three and struck out seven. Duffy walked Arenado in the first and Trevor Story in the fifth for the only other baserunners he permitted.

“His changeup was actually really good,” Arenado said of Duffy. “He got ahead with his off-speed and threw that fastball in once in a while. He just threw everything for a strike and it looked like he bounced it when he wanted to. He was really good today.”

Duffy knew he had a no-hitter in place after five innings.

“I knew there was a zero on the board, but I’m not worried about that,” Duffy said of throwing a no-hitter. “As long as we come out with a win, I’m good. I think my pitch count might have been too high to keep that thing carrying on, but you never know what could have happened.”

Mike Minor replaced Duffy and retired all five batters he faced, striking out three. Peter Moylan got LeMahieu on a grounder to Whit Merrifield to end the eighth.

Kelvin Herrera gave up a triple to Jonathan Lucroy with two outs and walked Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra. Herrera left with right forearm tightness and a 2-0 count on Pat Valaika. Left-hander Scott Alexander replaced Herrera and retired Valaika on a grounder to shortstop Alcides Escobar. Alexander picked up his first career save on two pitches.

“I didn’t want to shy away from the opportunity of the situation,” Alexander said. “I just wanted to be aggressive and attack the zone.”

Royals manager Ned Yost said they don’t know the extent of Herrera’s injury until he is checked out further.

“We had a chance at the end, even though we didn’t get a lot going on all night, obviously with only a couple of hits and a few walks,” Rockies manager Buddy Black said. “But, we had the go-ahead run at second base there in the ninth. Our guys fought back hard to get in it against a great closer. We just didn’t get the knock at the end.”

Salvador Perez, who had not played since Aug. 4 because of a strain on the right side of his chest, had two hits, including an RBI double in the Royals’ two-run fourth inning.

Jon Gray (5-3) gave up three runs, two earned, and six hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking one. He dropped to 4-12 in 27 career road starts.

WATCHING THE ECLIPSE

Yost was among the millions watching the eclipse on the Royals’ day off. “I’m sure I was a sight to see,” Yost said. “I was in my parking lot with my tailgate down just laying in the back of my truck watching it. It was pretty cool. I enjoyed it.”

ROCKIES RECALL TWO

The Rockies recalled OF Raimel Tapia and C Tony Wolters from Triple-A Albuquerque. Tapia hit .287 in 48 games in four previous stints with Colorado. Wolters had a .248 batting average in 67 games with the Rockies before being optioned on Aug. 1 to the Isotopes. OF Mike Tauchman, who hit .182 in 10 games, was optioned to Albuquerque.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: Parra was a late scratch with a contusion of his right thigh after being hit by a pitch Sunday, but walked as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Tapia replaced him. … C Ryan Hanigan went on the disabled list with a left groin strain. He hit .250 in 29 starts as catcher.

Royals: The Royals went 6-9 while Perez was out. C Cam Gallagher was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. … The Royals transferred RHP Miguel Almonte (rotator cuff strain) to the 60-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela will make his first start since Aug. 9. His 10 wins are tied for second among big league rookies.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy will try to break a franchise-record 15-game home winless drought. He has not won at Kauffman Stadium since Aug. 20, 2016.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It took the bottom of a makeshift lineup filled with mostly with backups for the Kansas City Royals to finally put some runs on the board against the Cleveland Indians.

Jorge Bonifacio had three hits to start rallies, fill-in third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert homered and drove in three runs, and Alcides Escobar also had three RBI to help the Royals to a 7-4 victory Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the AL Central leaders.

“We knew we had to get this one,” said Bonifacio, who started for Alex Gordon in left field.

Backup catcher Cam Gallagher also drove in a run for the Royals, who finally got their bats going after scoring just once in the first two games of the series. Kansas City piled up 12 hits and six runs off Cleveland starter Danny Salazar (5-6), and finished with 15 hits for the day.

“The bottom of the lineup was tremendous,” said Royals manager Ned Yost, whose club now trails the Indians by 6 1/2 games in the division. “Some good at-bats down there.”

Jason Hammel (6-9) allowed three runs on five hits and a walk in six innings to win for only the second time since June 19. The Royals right-hander had been 1/3 with six no-decisions during that span.

Kelvin Herrera gave up a run against the bottom of the Indians’ order before finishing the game.

“It’s one of those days when you get down and you spend so much time on defense, it kind of takes some of your energy away,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s a tough game to play.”

Escobar and Gallagher gave Kansas City the lead with run-scoring singles in the second, but Cleveland pushed ahead on Francisco Lindor’s third-inning homer and Austin Jackson’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Cuthbert, giving All-Star third baseman Mike Moustakas a day off from the field, knotted the game again when he sent a pitch from Salazar screaming over the bullpen in left.

Then, everything came unraveled for the Indians’ starter in the fifth. Salazar gave up a trio of singles, the last two with two outs, before Cuthbert’s two-run single off Zach McAllister made it 6-3.

“You hoped he could kind of dodge a few bullets,” Francona said, “but at some point there is so much traffic that you knew they were going to score.”

It was the shortest start for Salazar since May, and his first loss since facing Kansas City on May 27. It also ended a five-game tear since returning from the disabled list for shoulder soreness, a stretch in which Salazar had allowed only five total runs.

The Indians still finished 8-3 on their four-city road trip.

“I was joking with my wife if we go 8-and-3 on this road trip, we’re going to be in a good spot,” Indians catcher Yan Gomes said. “It’s like, four cities in 10, 11 days. We toughed it out and won every series on the road against good ballclubs, so that should give us a lot of confidence.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Royals have won 11 of 14 against division rivals. … Escobar and Moustakas each extended hitting streaks to 11 games. … Cuthbert’s home run was his first since April 8 in Houston. … Lindor finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3 for 5 with a stolen base.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Salvador Perez (right intercostal strain) continued with fielding drills and batting practice as he targets a return Tuesday or Wednesday. “He’s making progress and we’ll just see,” Yost said. “He’s had no setbacks, which is good. We’ll just keep ramping it up.”

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber, who sprained his right ankle covering first base Friday night, threw a short bullpen session and plans to start Wednesday against Boston. “No restrictions,” Francona said.

UP NEXT

The Indians head home for four games against Boston starting Monday night, then welcome the Royals to town for three games. Kansas City has a day off before a series against the Rockies, and several players said they hope the weather cooperates for them Monday to see the eclipse.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer pitched well, but he credits his defense for this victory.

Bauer threw 6 1/3 innings as the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 on Saturday night.

Bauer (12-8) won his fifth straight decision — the longest winning streak of his career that started after a July 17 loss. He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out four.

“Defense, for sure,” Bauer said. “I wasn’t sharp tonight. I got a lot of balls barreled right at me. I was able to make a couple pitches here and there when I needed to, but mostly Carlos (Santana) made two outstanding plays at first, and made a couple other good ones. (Jason) Kipnis made a really nice play. (Giovanny) Urshela made a really great play at third. It was just the defense playing really well.”

Relievers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen did not allow a hit over the final 2 2/3 innings to complete the shutout.

Bauer joins teammates Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco as 12-game winners. The Indians are the only team in the majors with three 12-game winners.

“Trevor made some pitches, he got some good defense behind him because he was working quick and throwing strikes,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “And he doesn’t back down. I think in big situations, he’s kind of coming through like more often than not.”

Roberto Perez delivered the clutch blow, a two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the fourth inning that scored Jay Bruce and Santana.

“It’s frustrating,” losing pitcher Jason Vargas said. “When you do things to get yourself in a position to get out of it and put the team in a position to stay in the ball game and then you just make a mistake. I just feel like it’s been happening too often.”

Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis hit consecutive doubles in the first inning for the first Cleveland run.

Bruce’s RBI-double in the fifth scored Ramirez, who had walked, and finished Vargas’ evening.

Vargas (14-7), who had 12 victories at the end of June, gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. The Royals dropped to 6-12 in August, while the rotation has a 5.99 ERA for the month.

“We’re talking out of 96 pitches, four pitches that hurt him,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Santana doubled and scored on Jackson’s single in the eighth for the final Indians run.

The Indians are an American League-best 20-8 since July 21 and are 8-2 on their four-city 11-game trip that concludes Sunday.

YOST TURNS 63

Yost turned 63, but the loss dropped his overall Royals’ record to 610-611.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: It is uncertain whether Kluber, who left in the sixth inning Friday with a right ankle sprain, will make his Wednesday start against Boston. “He’s a little stiff, which I think is normal, but not more than that,” Francona said. He said it is “probably 50-50 Kluber would start against the Red Sox, but could be pushed back a day or two. “I think that’s probably the worst-case scenario,” Francona said. “I think sometimes if you can’t prepare for it (a start), it probably behooves us to move him back a little bit.”

Royals: RHP Neftali Feliz was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Monday with right ulnar nerve palsy. “It’s not bad,” Yost said. “It’s probably going to be a four, five-day thing, but right now we can’t afford to go short. We just can’t, the way things have played out here in the last couple of weeks with the pitching. We’re thin down there, and we just can’t go short.” … LHP Eric Skoglund was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. He is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in three Kansas City starts this season, but will be used out of the bullpen.

UP NEXT:

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar is 0-2 with 4.63 ERA in four appearances this season against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts this year against Cleveland.

— Associated Press —

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals could have headed home with another squandered late-inning lead and far less momentum as they prepare for an important weekend series against first-place Cleveland.

This time, the Royals gave it up again before rallying once more.

Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth after Oakland tied it in the bottom of the eighth, and Kansas City beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Wednesday.

Alcides Escobar doubled to start the ninth against Blake Treinen (1-1), matching his season high with three hits. Then Gordon delivered his second run-scoring single of the series finale as Kansas City won its fourth in five following a five-game skid.

“Today was a step in the right direction for us,” Royals starter Danny Duffy said. “It’s huge. We had a pretty decent roadie.”

Oakland’s Matt Chapman hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Brandon Maurer (1-1), who wound up the winner.

Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Duffy struck out eight over five innings, but the Royals needed clutch hitting in the ninth a day after giving up a four-run lead in a 10-8 defeat.

“This was a big win for us today, especially after last night,” manager Ned Yost said. “Games like last night can cease your momentum, so to come back and show the heart and the ability to grind a tough game out like our guys did today was very satisfying.”

Cain added a key RBI single in the eighth for the Royals, who began the day tied with Minnesota six games behind the AL Central-leading Indians.

Kelvin Herrera finished for his 26th save in 29 chances after allowing Ryon Healy’s two-out infield single.

Duffy’s winless stretch reached four outings since a victory at Detroit on July 25. The left-hander earned his first major league win at Oakland on June 14, 2011, and has never lost to the A’s — 3-0 in seven career appearances and six starts — but hasn’t beaten them since April 10, 2012.

Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the third and Oakland got back in it on Jed Lowrie’s two-run single in the fifth.

“It just was an ugly game all the way around,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “There was no pace to the game, and it just seemed like one of those games that was just blah.”

Kansas City’s Melky Cabrera fouled a ball off his leg in the third and went down writhing in pain before recovering to hit a single on the very next pitch to load the bases with no outs. But Blackburn struck out Mike Moustakas and induced an inning-ending double play from Brandon Moss to escape unscathed.

A’s starter Paul Blackburn was tagged for eight hits and four runs in four innings of his first career start against Kansas City, striking out two and walking three.

MINOR LEAGUE TRADE

The A’s acquired lefty Sam Moll from Colorado for a player to be named later or cash then optioned him to Triple-A Nashville. Oakland added right-hander Chris Hatcher to the 25-man roster and he made his A’s debut in the sixth inning, a day after coming to Oakland in a trade from the Dodgers. The A’s optioned righty Josh Smith to Nashville and designated righty Zach Neal for assignment to clear 40-man roster space to add Moll.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Joakim Soria — who allowed four straight hits in the eighth inning Tuesday night — is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday after stiffness in his lat and ribcage area to determine when he can pitch again. The reliever showed up to the Coliseum with discomfort. “He’s been battling with it for two weeks, he’s been pitching through it, he’s been pitching very effectively through it,” Yost said. “But after last night he showed up more so than usual.”

Athletics: Josh Phegley (strained left oblique) was slated to catch five or six innings in a rehab game for Triple-A Nashville at Tacoma. … OF Jake Smolinski, on the disabled list since March 30 recovering from right shoulder surgery, isn’t expected to be able to play in the outfield until “well into September,” Melvin said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.80 ERA) starts Friday at home against the first-place Indians trying to snap a 14-start winless stretch at Kaufmann Stadium since a victory vs. Minnesota on Aug. 20 last year.

Athletics: Following Thursday’s day off, LHP Sean Manaea (8-7, 4.59) starts at Houston on Friday looking to end a five-start winless stretch in which he’s 0-2 since beating Cleveland on July 16.

— Associated Press —

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Cam Gallagher hit a grand slam for his first career home run and second big league hit, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 6-2 on Monday night.

Gallagher’s shot into the left-field seats in the sixth inning marked the first grand slam by a Royals rookie since Paulo Orlando connected in the first game of a doubleheader against Tampa Bay on July 7, 2015.

Jake Junis (5-2), recalled for his seventh stint with Kansas City this season, allowed two runs and four hits in six innings with two strikeouts and no walks.

The Royals moved into a second-place tie with the idle Twins, five games back of AL Central-leading Cleveland.

— Associated Press —