Cleveland Indians Lose 7-3 to Royals as Bullpen Impodes

The Cleveland Indians fell to the Kansas City Royals 7-3 as the bullpen imploded in the 8th inning, giving up all seven Kansas City runs. The tough loss dropped the Indians to 54-38 on the season as their lead in the division dropped to 5.5 games over the Detroit Tigers. The win moved the Royals to 47-45 as they remained in third place, now seven games behind the Indians.

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All-Star Corey Kluber looked the part Monday night, throwing seven strong shutout inning. He allowed just five hits and struck out eight. He did walk three though all of them came once their were two outs in an inning and none hurt him. The only blemish for Kluber was that he was not able to go longer. After initially coming out to pitch the 8th, he had to leave after what looked like a calf cramp. He was at just 95 pitches at the time.

Bryan Shaw came in to face the top of the order once Kluber was forced to leave. Things did not go well for Shaw, who was working on a 13 inning scoreless streak heading into the game. He allowed a weak, infield single to Alcides Escobar on a ball that would have been a routine out had Shaw not reached out to try and stop it. Eric Hosmer followed that up with a bloop single and put Shaw in hot water. Pinch hitter Christian Colon attempted to sacrifice the runners to 2nd and 3rd but after two balls from Shaw he swung away with a two-run, game-tying double to center. Colon was thrown out at third on the play for the first out but the damage was done (though just getting started). It was Shaw’s third blown save of the season.

Shaw (L, 1-3)  got the next out but then walked two before being lifted for Jeff Manship who proceeded to give up the lead on a RBI single to Paulo Orlando, scoring Alex Gordon and making it 3-2 Royals. Two batters later, Manship gave up a backbreaking grand slam home run to Jarrod Dyson, his first home run of the year, making it 7-2 Royals.

The Indians got to Royals’ starter Edinson Volquez in the first inning on a monster home run from Francisco Lindor with two outs. The solo home run, Lindor’s 11th of the season, traveled an estimated 435 feet down the right field line giving the Tribe a 1-0 lead. The only other run the Indians managed off Volquez came in the top of the 4th on a RBI groundout by Juan Uribe, scoring Jose Ramirez and making it 2-0 Indians. That score held until the fateful bottom of the 8th when the Royals broke the game open. The Indians did manage to add a third run in the top of the 9th on another RBI groundout by Uribe but despite putting a few on, Wade Davis came on to get the one-out save, his 20th of the year. Reliever Luke Hochevar, who worked a scoreless 8th, got the win for the Royals (2-2).

Next: Indians Recall Crockett; Option Anderson to Columbus

The Indians will look to put the tough loss behind them as they send out American League ERA leader Danny Salazar (10-3, 2.75 ERA).  The Royals will send out left-hander Brian Flynn (1-0, 2.39). The Indians will look to snap their 0-4 record at Kauffman Stadium this season.