KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning after Kansas City rallied from a six-run deficit, and the Royals snapped the Houston Astros’ 11-game winning streak with a 9-7 victory Tuesday night.

Moustakas drove an 0-1 pitch from Ken Giles (1-2) out to right with Salvador Perez aboard. Moustakas had four hits and three RBI.

Kansas City trailed 7-1 in the fourth inning but completed its comeback with a four-run eighth. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run double with two outs in the inning to tie it at 7.

Merrifield drove a 1-2 offering from Giles to left field, scoring Moustakas, Cheslor Cuthbert and Alex Gordon. Merrifield has hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games. Giles blew his second save in 18 opportunities.

The Astros’ winning streak was the longest in the majors this season. They dropped to a major league-best 42-17 this season.

Mike Minor (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the Royals.

Moustakas also singled in a run during the eighth.

Carlos Beltran hit his 429th career home run in the Astros’ four-run fourth, giving them the six-run advantage. Josh Reddick, who had three hits, and Carlos Correa had the other run-scoring hits in the inning.

Houston rookie starter David Paulino gave up three runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings and left with a 7-3 lead.

Yuli Gurriel, who had three hits, contributed a two-run single in the Astros’ third, giving him 12 RBI during a seven-game hitting streak. Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly scored George Springer with the first run of the game. Springer extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double and single. He has nine multihit games and 23 hits total in his streak.

Royals right-hander Jake Junis, who was making his second big league start, was removed after Beltran’s homer. Junis faced 23 batters, and 12 reached — nine hits and three walks — with seven scoring.

Gordon homered in the third for the Royals, his first since Sept. 25, a span of 192 at-bats.

MANESS OPTIONED

With Junis recalled, the Royals optioned RHP Seth Maness to Triple-A Omaha. Maness was 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA but allowed 16 hits and two walks in 9 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez was not in the lineup with a left hand contusion and swelling. “I know he’s sore,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re going to get him a guard to protect his hand when he slides. We’ll see how he feels when he holds a bat. We might put something on his bat to alleviate the pressure. We feel good that he’s avoided a bigger injury, but he may need a day or two.”

Royals: RHP Nathan Karns (right extensor strain and nerve irritation) is not yet ready for a rehab stint as the club waits for the soreness to recede. “He’s getting better every day,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We don’t have a timetable yet.”

UP NEXT

Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel takes a nine-game winning streak into his Wednesday start. That is the longest streak by an Astros’ pitcher since RHP Roger Clemens won nine straight in 2004.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas is 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA at Kauffman Stadium.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer, Brian McCann had a two-run shot and the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Monday night for their 11th straight win.

It’s the longest winning streak in the majors this season and one shy of the Astros’ record. They won 12 straight in 1999 and 2004. Houston has also won 11 consecutive road games, which is a franchise record. They’re 22-6 away from home this season.

McCann homered in the fourth after Marwin Gonzalez walked to lead off the inning.

Gurriel homered in the ninth. He has gone deep in back-to-back games and has 10 RBI during a six-game hitting streak.

McCann started a two-run second inning with a one-out double and scored on Nori Aoki’s single. George Springer’s two-out single scored Gurriel, who had walked.

Astros starter Mike Fiers (3-2) worked five innings plus two batters. He was charged with two runs, seven hits and a walk. Fiers is 6-0 in his past 10 road starts dating to Aug. 20.

The Royals scored a pair of runs in the second. Brandon Moss doubled to score Eric Hosmer, while Alcides Escobar’s bunt single got Mike Moustakas home.

Rookie Jorge Bonifacio homered off James Hoyt in the seventh to trim the lead to 4-3.

The Royals had Hosmer at third and Moustakas at first with none out in the sixth, but failed to score. Moss and Escobar struck out to end the inning.

Ian Kennedy (0-6) took the loss, giving up four runs, six hits and three walks over five innings. Kennedy, who is in the second season of a five-year, $70 million contract, is winless in 14 starts since a Sept. 11 victory.

Whit Merrifield went 0 for 5 to snap his 19-game hitting streak, which is the longest in the majors this season.

LINEUP SHUFFLE

Royals manager Ned Yost moved Merrifield to the top of the batting order and rookie Bonifacio to the second slot.

“I’m just trying to find some production,” Yost said. “We got shutout for the sixth time (Sunday).”

Moustakas, who has been batting second, was moved to sixth. He has 14 home runs, but 10 are solos.

“In the 2-hole, there haven’t been a whole lot of RBI opportunities for him,” Yost said.

Alcides Escobar was dropped from leadoff to eighth.

NOT A THIEF

The Astros’ George Springer was out attempting to steal second to end the second inning. He is 0 for 3 in stolen base attempts this season. He last attempted a steal on April 4.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (right shoulder discomfort) could come off the disabled list Sunday and start against the Angels. “A possibility, yes,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “He is trending in the right direction.” Musgrove played catch Monday for the first time since going on the disabled list May 27. If all goes well, he will throw a bullpen Thursday. … Gonzalez left in the seventh inning with discomfort in his left hand.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP David Paulino struck out eight Twins in four innings Wednesday in his first big league start this season.

Royals: RHP Jake Junis is being recalled from Triple-A Omaha and will make his second big league start. In his last two Pacific Coast League starts, Junis allowed one earned run, struck out 21 and walked four in 13 1/3 innings.

— Associated Press —

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 —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton hit two-run doubles with two outs in the third inning as the Detroit Tigers held off the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Wednesday night.

Royals starter Ian Kennedy (0-5) walked the bases loaded before giving up the doubles on consecutive pitches.

Victor Martinez and Alex Avila homered for the Tigers, who completed a 4-7 three-city trip.

Kennedy was pulled after three innings, allowing five runs, four hits and three walks. Kennedy is 0-7 in 13 starts since he last won on Sept. 11. He threw 41 pitches in the third.

Kennedy went 0-3 with an 11.30 ERA in May, allowing 18 earned runs, 16 hits, including six home runs, and nine walks in 14 1/3 innings.

The Royals took a 3-0 lead on four hits in the first. Salvador Perez singled home Lorenzo Cain with the first run. Cheslor Cuthbert’s two-out single scored Eric Hosmer and Perez.

Cuthbert doubled and scored on Alcides Escobar’s two-out single in the fourth.

The Royals cut the lead to one run in the eighth when Jorge Bonifacio and Whit Merrifield singled. Bonifacio scored on Alex Wilson’s wild pitch. Merrifield extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games, the longest by a Royal this season.

Justin Wilson worked the ninth to collect his fifth save in six opportunities.

Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd did not make it out of the fourth, permitting four runs and seven hits. Warwick Saupold (1-0) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings to pick up the victory.

Hosmer led off the fifth with a single for his 1,000th hit.

PEREZ TOPS CATCHERS VOTING

Perez, a four-time All-Star selection, is leading American League catchers on the first release of the All-Star ballot. “I love it a lot,” Perez said of the mid-summer classic. “Thank you for the fans. I hope they keep voting for me. It’s a lot of fun. The first one was Mariano Rivera’s last All-Star game. The second one was Derek Jeter’s. Guys you know are going to be in the Hall of Fame. You relish those moments.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: Upton left with a mild strain of his right quadriceps while running the bases in the third inning. . 2B Ian Kinsler, who is on the DL with a left hamstring strain, is eligible to come off it on Tuesday. “I’d be shocked if he doesn’t,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer will start Friday as the Tigers open a homestand against the White Sox. The Tigers play 12 of their next 15 in Detroit.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas will start Friday in the opener of a weekend series with Cleveland.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Skoglund wasn’t sure what was going on when he was scratched from his start for Triple-A Omaha.

He quickly found out he was headed to the majors.

Skoglund pitched 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his big league debut, helping the Kansas City Royals beat Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers 1-0 on Tuesday night.

“Once I found out I was facing Verlander, it was like, `Bring it on baby,” Skoglund said. “That’s something I’ve always dreamed about. The guy is going to be a Hall of Famer one day. It’s a special night for sure.”

Skoglund, a 2014 third-round draft pick out of Central Florida, struck out five and walked one. The 6-foot-7 left-hander was promoted from Omaha when the Royals placed Danny Duffy on the disabled list Monday with an oblique strain.

“I think he was a little sneaky,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Skoglund. “It looked like he had two-seam, four-seam, slider, curve, for the most part. He hides the ball well so he can get in on righties.”

Verlander (4-4) left after seven innings, allowing one run and six hits. He struck out five and walked one.

The Royals jumped in front in the sixth. Alcides Escobar and Mike Moustakas began the inning with singles, but Lorenzo Cain rolled into a double play. Eric Hosmer got Escobar home with a single to center.

“I didn’t talk to our lineup about what he (Skoglund) was doing, but I knew he was putting up zeros in a hurry,” Verlander said. “It was kind of a back and forth and the first person that blinked was me, unfortunately. You’ve got to tip your cap.”

Skoglund walked Miguel Cabrera and yielded a single to Victor Martinez with two out in the first. J.D. Martinez went down swinging to end the inning for Skoglund’s first big league strikeout.

“He’s so tall, when he throws 89, 90, it looked like 93, 94,” Cabrera said. “When he throws 93, 94, it looked like 97. But he’s so tall and he leaves the ball like, so close. He was good.”

The Tigers did not have another runner touch second base. Skoglund retired the next 14 batters before Dixon Machado’s one-out single in the sixth.

After Victor Martinez flied out to left to begin the seventh on Skoglund’s 90th pitch, manager Ned Yost summoned Peter Moylan from the bullpen.

Skoglund walked off the mound to a standing ovation and doffed his cap to the Kauffman Stadium crowd before going into the dugout.

“Walking off the mound is when it all hit me,” Skoglund said. “All the guys embraced me, all the infielders. It was a very special moment for me. They just told me to take it all in and enjoy the moment. I definitely did that.”

Moylan struck out J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton on six pitches to end the seventh. Mike Minor worked around a single in the eighth. Kelvin Herrera pitched a spotless ninth for his 12th save in 14 opportunities.

NOT BAD AT ALL

Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games with an infield single in the fifth. Merrifield also forced Verlander to throw 12 pitches before walking in the third.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Jim Adduci, who went on the disabled list May 12 with a right oblique strain, tried hitting off a tee. “He still feels it,” Ausmus said. “He’s still a ways away.”

Royals: RHP Nathan Karns went on the disabled list with a forearm strain retroactive to May 21, but has yet to throw off a mound. “Everything is going well,” Karns said. “I’m playing catch right now. I’m building it up. We’ll see (what) the timetable is from the training staff is and what they feel is appropriate and go from there.”

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matt Boyd is 0-4 in his past six starts since an April 16 victory at Cleveland.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy is 0-2 with a 3.04 ERA in four home starts this season.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez each drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers came from behind to beat the Kansas City Royals 10-7 on Monday night.

The Tigers scored four runs in the eighth, highlighted by Cabrera’s two-run single. Cabrera, who reached base four times, walked with the bases loaded in a six-run Detroit fifth inning.

Joakim Soria (2-2), who is 0-for-3 in save situations, retired none of the five batters he faced in the eighth and four scored. He allowed three singles, walked two and allowed a run on a wild pitch.

Martinez hit a three-run homer in the fifth off Mike Minor to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead.

Whit Merrifield homered, tripled and doubled in his first three at-bats, but flied out to end the seventh. No Royal has hit for the cycle since Hall of Famer George Brett in 1990.

Francisco Rodriguez (2-5) was credited with the victory.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona admitted his team was frustrated after losing the first two games of their series against the Kansas City Royals.

Perhaps the defending AL champions play better that way.

Jason Kipnis went 4 for 4 with a home run and two RBI, Josh Tomlin pitched his first complete game in two years and the Indians rolled to a 10-1 win on Sunday.

“We needed a day like that,” Francona said. “It’s one day but I was happy for our hitters. They were able to relax a little bit.”

Kipnis, who reached in each of his five plate appearances, hit an RBI single in the third and a solo homer in the seventh.

The Indians took out some of their frustration with 18 hits, one short of their season high.

“We know we can be playing better,” Kipnis said. “Games like this only reassure us this is the kind of product we can roll out there when everyone’s going well. This is how good we can be.”

Austin Jackson drove in three runs for Cleveland, and Carlos Santana had three hits and two RBI. Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez also had three hits apiece.

Tomlin (3-6) tossed a six-hitter for his first win since April 30. It was the right-hander’s first complete game since Sept. 15, 2015, also against Kansas City and No. 5 for his career.

“It means you did your job,” Tomlin said of finishing the game. “That’s a good feeling to know that. The offense put up great at-bats. They put a good lead up there. When we play games like that we’re a tough team to beat.”

Tomlin is 10-4 lifetime against the Royals.

“He’s always good against us because we’re an aggressive team,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “He very seldom makes mistakes and he changes speeds so effectively.”

Royals starter Danny Duffy (4-4) allowed six runs in four-plus innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Rookie Jorge Bonifacio homered in the fifth for the Royals. The drive landed halfway up the bleachers in left field and traveled an estimated 437 feet.

Duffy missed first base trying to catch first baseman Eric Hosmer’s throw and fell to the ground on Brantley’s ground ball to start the fifth. The left-hander remained in the game, but was pulled after allowing singles to Santana and Edwin Encarnacion.

Tomlin struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

Brantley, Roberto Perez and Bradley Zimmer also had RBI for the Indians, who had lost four of five.

The Royals went 4-5 on a road trip to Minnesota, New York and Cleveland.

GET TO THE POINT

Duffy didn’t mince any words when assessing his performance.

“I pitched lousy,” he said. “I didn’t execute anything. Not a fun day at the park today.”

HEADED TO BULLPEN

Indians right-hander Danny Salazar was sent to the bullpen with a 3-5 record and 5.50 ERA in 10 starts. Francona hopes Salazar can regain his confidence while pitching in a relief role.

“He’s not being banished to the bullpen,” Francona said. “We explained everything to him, why and what we’re trying to achieve. He’ll throw a bullpen tomorrow and we’ll get him back on the road to carving people up.”

WORTH NOTING

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor didn’t start for the first time this season. He committed an error Friday and couldn’t make a leaping grab on a line drive Saturday.

Lindor has a 12-game hitting streak, matching a season high.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel opens a three-game series against the Tigers. He has lost three straight starts, including a 3-0 decision to the Yankees on May 24.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco begins a four-game series against Oakland. He is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four career starts and five total outings against the Athletics.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are feeling a little better after a couple successful days in Cleveland.

Alcides Escobar hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the sixth, Mike Moustakas homered and the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Saturday.

Kansas City, an AL-worst 20-27 coming into the day, has won two straight this weekend against the Indians.

Jason Vargas (6-3) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Kelvin Herrera worked the ninth for his second save in two days and No. 11 on the season.

“These are the kind of games we need to play,” Vargas said. “Momentum builders like that can really get you going.”

While Kansas City is feeling good again, Cleveland manager Terry Francona admitted his team is frustrated. The Indians have lost four of five since sweeping three games from Houston, which has the best record in the majors.

“We need to go out and play baseball every day like we love the game and the game is the most important (thing),” Francona said. “I know we need to do a better job of that.”

Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar (3-5) allowed four runs, three earned, in 5 1/3 innings.

Royals manager Ned Yost and first baseman Eric Hosmer were ejected by plate umpire Bill Welke in the first inning. They were thrown out for arguing after it was ruled that Hosmer failed to check his swing and struck out with the bases loaded and no outs.

Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Alex Gordon hit a tying RBI single off Boone Logan, which brought Nick Goody out of Cleveland’s bullpen.

Escobar sent a line drive to the left side of the infield, but shortstop Francisco Lindor couldn’t make a leaping grab. The ball rolled into left-center field, scoring two runs.

Moustakas, who went 3 for 4 with a walk, added a leadoff drive in the ninth for his 13th of the season.

Salvador Perez put Kansas City ahead with a sacrifice fly in the first, but Lindor’s one-out homer tied the game in the bottom half. Jason Kipnis put Cleveland in front with an RBI single in the third.

Kipnis narrowly missed a grand slam in the fourth when his drive to the right-field seats was ruled foul. The call was upheld after a crew chief review.

Kansas City loaded the bases on an error, a hit and a walk to start the game. Hosmer tried to check his swing on a 1-2 pitch, but third base umpire David Rackley ruled he went around.

Hosmer was ejected after shouting and waving his hand at Rackley. Yost was tossed soon after he came on the field.

“He missed a couple of calls last night at home plate,” Hosmer said. “He goes from missing a ton of pitches last night to missing the first call his way today. To me, that’s unacceptable.”

VOICE OF REASON

Yost was ejected for the 40th time in his managerial career, but might have learned a valuable lesson.

“About 10 minutes after I got kicked out, my phone rang,” he said. “It was my 3-year-old grandson Jordan, asking, `Granddaddy, did you get thrown out of the game?’ I told him I did. He asked me if I had been put in timeout. I guess I kind of was put into timeout, being in here.”

BULLPEN BOUND?

With Corey Kluber likely returning to the rotation Thursday against Oakland, Salazar could be headed to a relief role. He walked a season-high five Saturday.

“We’ll put our heads together and see what’s the next best step for him,” Francona said. “I think he’s probably searching a little bit too.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Brian Flynn (broken ribs) began a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.

Indians: Kluber (strained lower back) was placed on the 10-day DL on May 3.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy held the Indians to one run in 6 2/3 innings, but got the loss at Kauffman Stadium on May 7.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin hasn’t won since beating the Royals on May 6 when he allowed one run in seven innings.

— Associated Press —