TORONTO (AP) — After a big win over the Blue Jays, it was slow jam time in the Kansas City Royals clubhouse. Seated around a table in the middle of the room, Kendrys Morales and Danny Duffy gave a spirited sing-along to Whitney Houston’s `I Will Always Love You.”

Maybe they were dedicating it to new teammate Ben Zobrist.

Zobrist hit solo home runs from both sides of the plate, Eric Hosmer singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Royals beat Toronto 7-6 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

“We had to have this one today,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We had to.”

Zobrist, who went 3 for 4 and scored three runs, homered from the right side in the first and doubled and scored in the sixth.

“It feels incredible,” Zobrist said. “You try and put good swings on the ball from both sides of the plate when you have to switch around during the game but it’s tough.”

Yordano Ventura (6-7) gave up five runs and six hits in seven innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since April.

“I thought he threw the ball great,” Yost said. “These guys are hotter than heck and their power is amazing.”

Wade Davis worked the eighth and Greg Holland pitched around a walk and a single for his 23rd save. Josh Donaldson grounded out to end it, stranding the tying run at third as Toronto fell to 11-23 in one-run games.

Facing new Blue Jays reliever Mark Lowe, Zobrist turned around to the left side and tied it at 5 with a drive to right. Lorenzo Cain doubled and scored on Hosmer’s base hit, Kendrys Morales singled Hosmer to third and Salvador Perez hit a sacrifice fly.

Lowe (0-2) was charged with three runs after allowing just four in 34 prior appearances this season.

“That’s not going to make or break his career in Toronto,” manager John Gibbons said of Lowe’s difficult debut.

Jose Bautista hit two solo homers and Josh Donaldson added a two-run drive, but Toronto’s winning streak ended at three.

Bautista connected off Davis in the eighth, the first home run allowed by the Royals reliever in 125 2/3 innings. Davis hadn’t given up a homer since Washington’s Ian Desmond hit one off him on Aug. 24, 2013, Davis’ most recent start.

“Wade is the best setup man in the game,” Yost said. “That’s not even arguable. He really does a great job of limiting the extra base hits.”

Edwin Encarnacion almost went back-to-back with Bautista, but his drive to center was caught on the warning track.

Toronto’s Mark Buehrle set down 15 of 16 following Zobrist’s one-out drive in the first.

Ventura started even stronger, retiring the first 11 batters he faced. That streak ended when the Blue Jays strung together four straight singles in the fourth, including RBI hits by Justin Smoak and Dioner Navarro.

Toronto made it 5-1 in the fifth on back-to-back home runs by Donaldson, a two-run drive into the second deck, and Bautista. It was the sixth time this season the Blue Jays have hit consecutive home runs.

Kansas City answered in the sixth when Buehrle’s throwing error opened the door for a three-run rally. Hosmer extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a two-run single and Kendrys Morales drove in the third run with a base hit to right.

A four-time Gold Glove winner, Buehrle said he was embarrassed by his error.

“It kind of unfolded after that,” he said.

Buehrle allowed four runs and five hits in seven innings.

The Blue Jays capped a busy week of trade deadline activity with a flurry or roster moves before the game, adding Lowe and outfielder Ben Revere, acquired Friday from Seattle and Philadelphia.

Toronto also recalled infielder Munenori Kawasaki from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned right-hander Ryan Tepera to Buffalo. Infielder Danny Valencia and outfielder Eqezuiel Carrera were designated for assignment.

LEFT AND RIGHT

Before Zobrist, Wilson Betemit was the previous Royals player to homer from both sides of the plate, doing it June 10, 2010 at Minnesota.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Davis returned after sitting out Friday’s loss with a sore back.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (10-5, 3.21 ERA) seeks his third straight victory as he faces Toronto for the second time this season. He gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays on July 12, but only run one was earned.

Blue Jays: RHP R.A. Dickey (5-10, 4.27 ERA) will pitch on three days of rest in spot left vacant when LHP Felix Doubront was designated for assignment. Dickey moved up so new LHP David Price could get an extra day before his Toronto debut Monday against Minnesota.

— Associated Press —

TORONTO (AP) — David Price was pleased with the popcorn waiting in his locker when he finally arrived in Toronto.

Hours later, Josh Donaldson gave Price something even better: a dramatic win for his new team.

Donaldson singled home Troy Tulowitzki in the 11th inning, and the new-look Blue Jays rallied to beat Kansas City 7-6 on Friday night and hand Johnny Cueto a no-decision in his Royals debut.

After acquiring Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins from Colorado and Price from Detroit, the Blue Jays obtained right-hander Mark Lowe from Seattle and outfielder Ben Revere from Philadelphia ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

“This organization definitely put their best foot forward at the trade deadline, and you’ve got to love seeing that,” Price said in a postgame news conference.

Tulowitzki played a key role in the win. He singled with one out in the 11th and advanced on a balk by Franklin Morales (3-1).

Donaldson followed with a single to left-center, giving Toronto its third straight win and sending the AL champion Royals to their third consecutive loss.

“He left me a pitch over the middle of the plate, what I was kind of waiting for the entire time,” Donaldson said. “I didn’t miss it.”

Donaldson, mobbed at first base after his winning hit, went 3-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs. Liam Hendriks (3-0) pitched one inning for the win.

Price was delayed by a flat tire on his way to Toronto, scuttling plans for an afternoon news conference. The left-hander said he was on Interstate 94 near Chesterfield, Michigan, when his right rear tire blew.

“I got the extra tire put on and the guy was like, ‘Where are you headed?'” Price said. “I was like ‘I’m going to Toronto,’ and he was like ‘You can’t make it there on this tire.’ I went to Discount Tires, they didn’t have a tire to fit my back tire and then I just had to sit in a Target parking lot and wait for the tow truck to come and wait for my ride to arrive.”

Price, who makes no secret of his taste for the popcorn at Rogers Centre, had six bags waiting for him in his locker.

“I think some guys might have taken some before I got here but I was completely OK with that,” he said. “This is the best popcorn I’ve ever had.”

Cueto, obtained from Cincinnati last Sunday for three minor league pitchers, gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

“I thought he threw the ball great,” manager Ned Yost said.

Outfielder Lorenzo Cain said Cueto was “locked in.”

“He did a great job his first start here,” Cain said. “Unfortunately we didn’t hold the lead there at the end.”

Kansas City took a 3-0 lead off Drew Hutchison in the first on Kendrys Morales’ RBI double and Ben Zobrist’s two-run single. Morales managed to evade Russell Martin’s tag at home plate, stepping over the fallen catcher.

Donaldson hit a two-run double in the third, and Toronto tied it in the fourth on Kevin Pillar’s RBI single.

Kansas City went ahead 5-3 in the fifth. Hutchison left after Cain’s leadoff single and Aaron Loup came on to face Eric Hosmer, who hit a slow grounder to third. Donaldson’s errant throw to first went down the right-field line, allowing Cain to score and advancing Hosmer to third. He scored on Morales’ sacrifice fly off Bo Schultz.

ROTATION SHUFFLE

The Royals are moving RHP Chris Young from the rotation to the bullpen and will use Monday’s off day to skip the fifth starter’s spot. RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who has lost back-to-back starts, allowing 11 earned runs in 12⅓ innings, will keep his spot in the rotation. Yost said the Royals would continue to evaluate the rotation from week to week.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Wade Davis (back) was unavailable. Yost said Davis is day-to-day.

Blue Jays: INF Edwin Encarnacion (left middle finger) returned to the lineup at DH after missing the previous two games. … 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list to make room for Price.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (5-7, 4.86 ERA) tries to win back-to-back starts for the first time since his opening two outings of the season when he faces the Blue Jays for the first time this year. After a one-day demotion to Triple-A, Ventura beat Houston in his most recent start, allowing one run and six hits in seven innings.

Blue Jays: LHP Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.29 ERA) had worked at least six innings and allowed two runs or fewer in nine straight starts before giving up three runs over 5⅔ innings in Sunday’s loss at Seattle. He is 26-12 with a 3.53 ERA in 53 career starts against the Royals.

— Associated Press —

TORONTO (AP) — Dioner Navarro is about to be reunited with an old teammate, and he’s excited about what they might achieve together.

Navarro hit a two-run home run, Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson added solo shots and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Thursday night, hours after landing former Cy Young Award winner David Price in a deal with Detroit.

Navarro and Price played together for three seasons in Tampa Bay, reaching the World Series in 2008, Price’s rookie campaign.

“He knows what it takes,” Navarro said of Price. “He’s been doing it for a long time. And I think he’s going to do nothing but good things for us.”

Price was not with the Blue Jays on Thursday but is expected to join them Friday. Toronto has not said when Price will make his first start but Sunday is a possibility.

The left-hander is the second major acquisition of the week for the Blue Jays, who landed shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on Tuesday.

“I thought even before we made the moves we were a good team and we just got better,” Toronto starter Marco Estrada said.

Estrada (8-6) allowed two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. Estrada left after Lorenzo Cain’s two-out single in the sixth ended his run of 15 straight outs. Brett Cecil came on and retired Eric Hosmer.

LaTroy Hawkins pitched the seventh, Aaron Sanchez worked the eighth and Roberto Osuna finished for his sixth save.

The Blue Jays have homered in 12 consecutive games since the All-Star break, their longest streak of the season.

“That’s what we do best,” manager John Gibbons said.

Kansas City, which lost 12-1 at Cleveland on Wednesday, allowed three homers in consecutive games for the first time this season.

“You make a mistake and they can hammer it a long way,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of the Blue Jays. “These guys are really good.”

Kendrys Morales put the Royals in front with a two-run double in the first inning but Toronto answered in the bottom half on Jose Bautista’s sacrifice fly.

Kevin Pillar reached on a bloop single to begin the second and Navarro followed with a drive to left off Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy.

Martin extended the lead with a one-out drive in the third and Donaldson made it 5-2 with a second-deck blast in the fourth, his team-high 25th.

Duffy (4-5) hadn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his previous four starts but couldn’t extend that streak against Toronto, which leads the majors in runs. Duffy allowed five runs and six hits in six innings, losing for the first time since June 30 at Houston.

“I just didn’t make pitches when I needed to,” said Duffy, who allowed three homers for the first time in his career. “They capitalized excellently on every single one of my mistakes.”

Ben Zobrist made his debut with the Royals, batting sixth and starting in left field. Zobrist, who was acquired from Oakland on Tuesday, went 0 for 4, grounding out to end the game.

ORLANDO TO OMAHA

Brazilian rookie OF Paulo Orlando was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Zobrist.

YOUR NUMBER IS UP

Royals first base coach Rusty Kuntz gave up his number 18 to Zobrist, switching to 81. Kuntz also surrendered 18 last season when the Royals traded for Raul Ibanez. Toronto’s Justin Smoak switched from 14 to 13 so Price can wear his preferred number.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Alex Gordon (left groin) hit off the tee one day ahead of schedule. Gordon took 20 swings and will do the same Friday.

Blue Jays: 1B Edwin Encarnacion (left middle finger) did not start but was available to pinch-hit. … 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder) was not available after getting a cortisone shot Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto (7-6, 2.62 ERA) makes his Kansas City debut Friday. Cueto is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two previous starts against Toronto.

Blue Jays: RHP Drew Hutchison (9-2, 5.42 ERA) has pitched six innings just once in his past eight outings. He’s 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA in nine home starts.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians found the perfect way to avoid a winless homestand.

Corey Kluber took a shutout into the ninth, and rookie Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer and had a career-high four RBI in a 12-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

“We needed a day like today,” said manager Terry Francona, who was ejected in the fifth inning. “That’ll help us. Now we need to carry it over.”

Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes and rookie Giovanny Urshela hit solo homers for the Indians, who had been outscored 37-10 in losing the first six games of the homestand. Michael Bourn was 4 for 5 as Cleveland had a season-high 18 hits.

Four losses to the Chicago White Sox and two more to the Royals dropped the Indians to last place in the AL Central.

“It was very important for us to get our confidence back,” Lindor said. “We’ll take the things we did the right way and try to do it again tomorrow.”

Kluber (6-11) held Kansas City to five hits in his second career complete game. The reigning Cy Young Award winner retired the first 12 batters before Eric Hosmer’s leadoff double in the fifth. Alex Rios’ RBI groundout in the ninth scored the Royals’ only run.

Kluber, who struck out six and walked one, had been 0-3 against Kansas City this season.

“I guess they’ve had success against me earlier in the year being really aggressive,” Kluber said. “They have the best record in the league. They’ve been hot for a while.”

Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie allowed three home runs — all in the sixth inning — and hit three batters, including Brantley in the fifth. Brantley got even with his home run, which he admired from the batter’s box before slowly trotting around the bases.

Francona was ejected by plate umpire Tom Woodring after Brantley was hit in the leg. Francona was upset that Guthrie wasn’t ejected because Woodring had warned both benches after the Royals pitcher hit Jason Kipnis in the back in the second inning.

Kipnis exchanged words with catcher Drew Butera as he walked to first base. Guthrie also hit Gomes with the bases loaded in the first.

The issues between the teams began Monday when Indians pitcher Cody Anderson hit Jarrod Dyson, prompting a warning to both dugouts.

The Royals, who had won 16 of 21, still had a good stay in Cleveland, acquiring ace pitcher Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist.

“You’re going to have some highs and lows along the way, but the reality is we’ve got the second-best record in baseball (behind St. Louis) at this point,” manager Ned Yost said.

The Indians’ first-inning run gave them their first lead of the homestand. Cleveland hadn’t led since July 22 against Milwaukee, a stretch of 54 innings.

GETTING THE BOOT

Francona’s discussion with Woodring didn’t last very long before the manager was ejected for the third time this season.

“I didn’t think that was appropriate. I think they protect the younger umpires. If he’s old enough to throw me out, he’s old enough to listen to what I say,” Francona said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Nick Swisher (sore left knee) will continue his minor league rehab assignment during the team’s six-game road trip. He’s been on the 15-day disabled list since June 14.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy, who is 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA in six starts since returning from a biceps injury, takes the mound Thursday to open a four-game series in Toronto.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco pitches the first game of a four-game set Thursday at Oakland. He allowed a season-high six runs in a 10-3 loss to the White Sox on July 25.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Eric Hosmer pointed at his teammates celebrating wildly in the dugout and continued his trot around the bases.

With one swing, Hosmer gave the Royals another thrilling moment in a season getting better by the second.

Hosmer’s homer with two outs in the ninth inning off Trevor Bauer lifted Kansas City to a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night over the fading Cleveland Indians, who have lost eight straight at home — their longest home losing streak in 40 years.

Hosmer hit a 3-2 curveball from Bauer (8-8) over the wall in right for his 11th homer, a shot that helped push the Royals 23 games over .500 for the first time since 1989.

“It’s real exciting,” said Hosmer, batting .422 with five homers and 19 RBI against the Indians this season. “It’s the final push for the second half. We’re trying to win these ballgames. We realize these games in the division are important, especially one that close late in the game.

“It’s a big win for us.”

The Indians, meanwhile, are bottoming out. They’ve lost six straight and eight in a row at home for the first time since 1975, when they played at Cleveland Stadium.

Bauer probably deserved a better fate. He held the AL’s top team to one run for 8 2/3 innings before Hosmer reached down and connected on a 75 mph curveball.

“I’ve thrown him one 3-2 curveball this year,” said Bauer, who recorded his first career complete game. “If I walk him, I walk him and get the next guy out, but I’m not going to let a guy who’s hot like that beat me so I tried to bounce it and the ball was going to bounce on the tip of the plate. It’s freaking baseball. It sucks.”

Hosmer’s homer came one pitch after Indians catcher Roberto Perez threw out Lorenzo Cain trying to steal second.

“Talk about changing emotion with one pitch,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s just a really good hitter.”

Wade Davis (7-1) pitched a perfect eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth — getting a nifty groundout, and a game-ending double play — for his 22nd save as the Royals won their fourth straight and 16th in 21 games.

Perez opened Cleveland’s ninth with a grounder toward center that appeared to be a single. However, second baseman Omar Infante ran it down on the grass and flipped the ball with his glove to shortstop Alcides Escobar, who grabbed it barehanded and threw out Perez.

“That was incredible,” Hosmer said. “Those guys up the middle never seem to surprise us with the plays they make.”

The Royals seem to have found the winning formula: Keep it close, turn it over to their bullpen and score one more run than the opposition.

“The feeling is if we’re tied or with the lead after the fifth inning we stand a great chance of winning with our bullpen,” manager Ned Yost said. “For the most part they’re going to hold them right there until we can find a way to scratch a run across.”

Both teams made trades Tuesday in advance of Friday’s deadline.

The Royals made their second major move, acquiring utilityman Ben Zobrist and nearly $2.6 million from Oakland for right-hander Aaron Brooks and minor league left-hander Sean Manaea.

On Sunday, Kansas City landed ace Johnny Cueto, who joined his new teammates for the first time Tuesday and will make his debut Friday in Toronto.

The Indians shipped veteran outfielder David Murphy to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league shortstop Eric Statmets.

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Hosmer, of course, drove in Kansas City’s first run.

With two outs, Cain sent a drive to deep right that Brandon Moss appeared to catch but lost possession of the ball when he banged into the padded wall. The Indians contended that Moss had made the grab, but the triple was upheld following a video review by the umpires.

Hosmer followed with his second hit, a run-scoring single.

Michael Bourn’s speed allowed Cleveland to tie it in the fifth.

He led off with a single and stole second. One out later, Bourn swiped third and scored when catcher Salvador Perez’s throw tailed away from third baseman Mike Moustakas.

HOMER HAPPY

The Royals are 42-14 when they hit at least one homer.

DOMINANT DAVIS

Davis dropped his ERA to a mind-boggling 0.41 — two runs in 42 2/3 innings. He’s got 16 wins in the past two seasons, the most by any reliever in the majors.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie starts the series finale, looking to bounce back from a loss last week in Houston when he allowed four runs and 11 hits in seven innings.

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber dropped his 12th decision of the season in a 6-0 loss to the White Sox on Friday. The Indians haven’t scored in six of his 21 starts this season.

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Back in college, Ben Zobrist once kicked Ned Yost out of his apartment.

He’ll now play for Kansas City’s manager.

The Royals made another big addition for the season’s stretch run on Tuesday, acquiring the versatile Zobrist and nearly $2.6 million from the Oakland Athletics for right-hander Aaron Brooks and minor league left-hander Sean Manaea.

The 34-year-old Zobrist, an infielder and outfielder, batted .268 with six home runs and 33 RBIs in 67 games for the A’s, who are in last place in the AL West after three straight playoff seasons.

He joins a Royals team that leads the AL in wins and has an eye on winning the World Series after losing in seven games to the San Francisco Giants last October.

Just like that, Zobrist went from a 56-loss team to a title contender. It’s the second big move in three days by the Royals, who acquired ace Johnny Cueto from Cincinnati on Sunday.

”I’m already joining a team that’s already a great team,” Zobrist said. ”And the addition of Johnny Cueto, you got to believe there’s going to be a lot more wins coming over the next couple months. I’m super excited about it.”

During a conference call with reporters, Zobrist recalled an amusing encounter with Yost. In 2003-04, he was college roommates with Ned Yost Jr., and after coming home with his girlfriend, Zobrist found the younger Yost and his father, then manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, sitting on the couch ”watching NASCAR or something.”

Zobrist said he wanted to cook dinner for his soon-to-be wife.

”I kind of booted him out of our apartment,” Zobrist said. ”I kind of joked with him about that a little earlier. We’re a long time from that, but it’s kind of a funny story. I knew him way back when.”

Zobrist missed a month following arthroscopic left knee surgery in late April for a torn meniscus, but he’s fully healed and anxious to help the Royals.

A’s general manager Billy Beane pulled off his second trade in 24 hours and third in six days. Oakland dealt closer Tyler Clippard to the New York Mets on Monday after trading lefty Scott Kazmir to his hometown Houston Astros last Thursday.

Oakland is sending Kansas City $2,598,306 as part of the trade.

A’s manager Bob Melvin held a team meeting before they opened a two-game series at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Edward Mujica is Oakland’s new closer, and Brooks will start Saturday.

”We have 62 games left, and what I told them was they we still have a lot to play for,” Melvin said. ”We had three guys that aren’t here right now that were important to our team, but that doesn’t mean that we go out there with any less expectations than we had before.”

With Kansas City, Zobrist can fill a void in left field and play some second base. Gold Glove left fielder Alex Gordon is likely sidelined until at least late September after straining his groin tracking a fly ball just before the All-Star break. Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando were platooning at the position, but Moore sought an upgrade until Gordon’s return.

Having Zobrist available to play so many positions will give Yost an opportunity to rotate players and rest others down the stretch to keep everybody healthy and fresh for what the Royals hope is another World Series run.

”He’s going to be great for us,” Yost said. ”He’s a tremendous switch-hitter. He’s a really good run producer from both sides of the batter’s box. He can play multiple positions. He gives us a lot of versatility. He’s definitely got a winner’s mentality.”

Brooks had a 6.23 ERA over two appearances for the Royals and 4 1-3 innings. He has mostly pitched at Triple-A Omaha, going 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 18 games and 17 starts. Beane envisions him joining the A’s soon to help fill voids because of injuries.

Manaea, a top prospect, has pitched in rookie ball, Class-A and Double-A so far this season. The A’s have been reloading their farm system ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

Beane would much rather be building his big league roster for an October run, but he’s in a different position in late July with a losing club.

”We’d rather be on the other end of it, that’s for sure,” he said. ”You also have to be somewhat pragmatic when evaluating the situation and the organization’s situation going forward. This season I think we had higher hopes.

”We wanted to address the lack of pitching depth in the organization and we think this helps,” Beane added. ”Kansas City’s got a good club and they’re being aggressive, and it worked out for us.”

— Associated Press —

CLEVELAND (AP) — Eric Hosmer drove in four runs, Kendrys Morales added three RBI and the Kansas City Royals opened a 10-game road trip with a 9-4 victory over the spiraling Cleveland Indians on Monday night.

Hosmer connected for a three-run homer in the first inning off rookie Cody Anderson (2-2) as the Royals rolled to their AL-leading 60th win and improved to 15-5 in their last 20 games.

Edinson Volquez (10-5) worked into the seventh inning for Kansas City, which will welcome newly acquired ace Johnny Cueto on Tuesday.

Rookie Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer and Carlos Santana had a solo shot for the Indians, who have dropped five straight.

Before landing Cueto in a trade from Cincinnati, Volquez was as close as the Royals had to a top-tier starter. The right-hander is 8-2 in his last 14 starts and 19-6 since June 20 of last season. He allowed three runs and six hits, getting pulled after allowing two walks to open the seventh.

Joe Blanton gave up Lindor’s homer, but worked three innings for his second save.

The Indians have lost seven in a row at home, and haven’t had the lead while being outscored 35-9 during this current seven-game homestand.

After being swept in four straight by the White Sox and falling into last in the Central, Indians manager Terry Francona held a lengthy closed-door meeting Sunday during which players aired their frustrations about a season slipping away. All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis said the one of the team’s problems was a lack of accountability.

On Monday, Kipnis clarified he was not referring to his manager.

“That comment had nothing with Tito,” Kipnis said. “Tito is our manager — he’s not a baby sitter.”

Riding the momentum of their deal for Cueto, the Royals wasted no time getting to Anderson, who was coming off his shortest outing this season.

Mike Moustakas singled with one out in the first, Lorenzo Cain walked and Hosmer, who is batting .390 (16 of 41) with four homers and 17 RBI against Cleveland this season, followed with a 421-foot homer to left-center to make it 3-0 — hardly the start the Indians wanted after their embarrassing weekend.

Kansas City made it 4-0 in the second when Omar Infante connected for his first homer in 336 at-bats this season.

Anderson responded by hitting Jarrod Dyson in the leg with his next pitch, prompting plate umpire Lance Barksdale to issue a warning to both dugouts. Several Royals players standing on the step hollered in Anderson’s direction.

Santana got a run back in the second with his 11th homer, a 433-foot blast to center that cleared a row of shrubs.

But the Royals added three runs in the fifth on Hosmer’s RBI single and a two-run double by Morales, who has 11 RBI against Cleveland in 2015.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: DH/RF Nick Swisher played right field and went 0 for 3 for Double-A Akron as he nears a return after being sidelined with knee inflammation. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Chris Young lasted just three innings in a start last week in a makeup game at St. Louis. Young has held opponents to a .187 average on the road, second-best in the AL. He’s 2-1 with a 3.71 ERA in four career starts against Cleveland.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer tries to correct his confounding problems at Progressive Field. He’s just 3-4 with a 6.16 ERA at home, compared to 5-3 with a 2.47 ERA on the road.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — This was one nice day for Kansas City’s rotation.

The Royals traded for Johnny Cueto, and then used Yordano Ventura’s seven sharp innings to beat Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros 5-1 on Sunday.

“I wanted to see the old Ventura out there and we saw it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “That’s good for us and bad for everybody else.”

Ventura (5-7) allowed one run and six hits in just his second win in his last seven starts. The right-hander, who won 14 games last year, was demoted to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday and then recalled the next day after the Royals learned left-hander Jason Vargas would miss the rest of the year with an elbow injury.

“My confidence is a lot better after today,” Ventura said through a translator. “I feel I pitched similar to last year. I was getting in a rhythm.”

The Royals announced during the game they had acquired Cueto from Cincinnati for minor league left-handers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed, drawing a big cheer at Kauffman Stadium.

Cueto was one of the top starters on the market. He won 20 games last season and is 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA in 19 starts this year.

“I’m excited about my next chapter,” Cueto said in Colorado, with Reds catcher Brayan Pena serving as his translator. “I know they play baseball very good. I’m excited because I know it’s going to be good for my career and good for the team.”

Keuchel (12-5), who started for the American League in the All-Star Game, was tagged for a season-high 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings. He also allowed five runs, matching a season high.

The Royals got off to a fast start, scoring four times in the first inning. Keuchel allowed a total of four first-inning runs in his first 20 starts of the year.

Kansas City opened with three straight singles to load the bases. After consecutive grounders led to a pair of forceouts at home, Omar Infante hit a two-run single and Cheslor Cuthbert doubled home two more runs.

Cuthbert has hit in all five of his games in the majors.

“I really didn’t feel like the bases were loaded, just based on some of the contact that was being made,” Keuchel said. “I felt like there were only a few hard hits all day. That’s just the way it goes sometimes. You know as a ground-ball pitcher they’re going to find holes. I feel like they were finding every hole in the first inning, but it’s my job to kind of shore up some things and sure enough, I did. It’s one of those days I’d like to have the first inning back, but I battled.”

Lorenzo Cain added a two-out drive in the second for his 11th homer. He had two hits after going 3 for 21 in his previous five games.

“I told Dallas on the mound in the seventh, to get us into the seventh the way he did showed a lot of perseverance,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think it’s easy when you get singled to death, so to speak, it’s easy to cave. And Dallas didn’t cave. He kept us in the game.”

Houston got its only run in the second. Evan Gattis led off with a triple and scored on Colby Rasmus’ single.

SUNSHINE ROYALS

The Royals have won five straight day games and are 10-1 in their past 11 afternoon encounters.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: INF Jed Lowrie (right thumb ligament tear) is 2 for 7 in three games with Double-A Corpus Christi. “He hasn’t fielded a ground ball yet in rehab, which I’m very frustrated with,” Hinch said. After having Sunday off, Lowrie will play Monday and Tuesday and then be re-evaluated.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (left groin strain) is throwing and hopes to take swings off the tee this week. “Baby steps,” Gordon said.

UP NEXT

Astros: After an off day, RHP Collin McHugh (11-5, 4.25 ERA), who is 5-2 with a 2.85 ERA in his past seven outings, starts Tuesday against the Angels.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (9-5, 3.15 ERA) starts Monday at Cleveland as the Royals open a 10-game trip.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals acquired Johnny Cueto in a trade with Cincinnati on Sunday, sending three prospects to the Reds for a legitimate ace for the front of their beleaguered rotation.

Kansas City has the best record in the American League after it lost to San Francisco in Game 7 of the World Series last October. But Yordano Ventura has underperformed this year and Jason Vargas will miss the rest of the season after he injured his elbow last week — increasing the need for pitching help.

The Royals last won the title in 1985, and the trade was greeted with a loud ovation when it was announced during the third inning of Kansas City’s home game against Houston on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m excited about my next chapter,” Cueto said with Reds catcher Brayan Pena serving as his translator. “I know they play baseball very good. I’m excited because I know it’s going to be good for my career and good for the team.”

Cueto, who is eligible for free agency after the season, had spent his entire career with Cincinnati. But the fourth-place Reds are looking to the future and could trade several more significant pieces before Friday’s non-waiver deadline, including right-hander Mike Leake and All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman.

Cincinnati got minor league left-handers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed in the trade for Cueto, who was one of the top starters on the market. The Reds also are sending money to the Royals to help pay Cueto’s remaining salary for the year.

“There is a lot interest in Johnny and we felt that this was the best value we could get,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. “Johnny is going to a great situation there. He has people that he’ll know. He’s on a team that has a chance to go to the World Series.”

Finnegan and Lamb were assigned to Triple-A Louisville, and Reed went to Double-A Pensacola.

Finnegan was selected by the Royals in the first round of last year’s draft. He made seven playoff appearances in 2014, but has split time between Triple-A Omaha and Kansas City this year.

The 25-year-old Lamb, a fifth-round pick in 2008, is 9-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 17 starts for Omaha.

Cueto, 29, won 20 games last season and is 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA in 19 starts this year. He pitched eight scoreless innings in Cincinnati’s 5-2 victory at Colorado on Saturday night.

The right-hander made his major league debut with Cincinnati in 2008 and is 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA in eight seasons.

“It’s a very emotional time for me,” Cueto said. “But I understand it’s part of the game and I’m just excited about my next step.”

The deal for Cueto is indicative of the new reality for Kansas City, which used to trade away its top players for prospects at the deadline. Not so much right now, and the Royals are trying to take full advantage of their window for contention.

Several top young players, such as first baseman Eric Hosmer and All-Star third baseman Mike Moustakas, are eligible for arbitration and becoming more expensive by the year.

While Royals owner David Glass has been willing to increase their payroll to franchise-record levels, Kansas City may have only a couple of years to make another run at a title before finances force them into a rebuilding mode.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore is not thinking about Cueto’s future — now.

“We acquired Johnny Cueto to help us compete and win the division and hopefully get back to the playoffs and win a World Series,” he said. “That’s where our focus is.”

The deal also reunites Edinson Volquez and Cueto after the pitchers spent four years together in Cincinnati.

The close friends are from the Dominican Republic, and Volquez, who signed a $20 million, two-year deal with the Royals this past offseason, served as a mentor to Cueto when he broke into the big leagues in 2008. They have even spoken of their desire to play together once again.

— Associated Press —