Indians 7, Royals 1
CLEVELAND -- Danny Salazar pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and Jose Ramirez had three hits and a career-high five RBIs to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 7-1 victory over the slumping Kansas City Royals on Friday at Progressive Field.
The win was the Indians' fourth in a row and they've allowed five runs in their last three games. The defending World Series champion Royals have lost eight of their last 10, and have been shut out in three of those 10 games.
Ramirez, getting a start at third base in place of Juan Uribe, had three hits, including a three-run double in the third inning and a two-run double in the fifth. Francisco Lindor also had three hits for Cleveland. Mike Napoli had two hits and two RBIs.
Salazar (3-2), who has allowed four or fewer hits in each of his six starts, gave up four hits, with nine strikeouts and one walk. He lowered his ERA to 1.91.
Yordano Ventura (2-2), who leads the American League in walks, started for Kansas City and took the loss, walking five in four innings, and giving up five runs on six hits.
The struggling Royals had eight hits, all singles, two by Lorenzo Cain.
Kansas City's run came in the ninth inning on an RBI single by Alex Gordon off reliever Dan Otero.
Salazar came into the game leading the American League with a .139 opponents' batting average, nearly 30 points lower than the next closest pitcher. It showed in the early going as he held Kansas City scoreless on one hit, a first-inning infield single by Cain, through the first five innings.
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, a rally that began with a one-out single by Jason Kipnis. Lindor singled Kipnis to third. A four-pitch walk drawn by Michael Brantley loaded the bases with one out, but the Indians could only score one run, that coming on an RBI groundout by Napoli.
The Indians did a better job of finishing a rally in the third inning. Lindor led off with a single and Brantley again drew a walk. Napoli singled, scoring Lindor to make it 2-0. Yan Gomes hit what looked to be a single to right field, but Napoli stopped halfway between first and second, waiting to see if right fielder Jarrod Dyson would catch the ball. The ball fell in front of the hard-charging Dyson, but he picked it up and threw to second for the force out on Napoli.
Rajai Davis lined out to Ventura, but with the bases loaded and two outs Ramirez drove a double into the gap in left-center field. All three runners scored to extend the Cleveland lead to 5-0.
Salazar had an economical first five innings, facing 16 batters.
Ventura was removed from the game after four innings, having thrown 97 pitches. He gave up five runs on six hits and five walks.
Ramirez's big night continued in the fifth inning against reliever Brian Flynn. Napoli singled and Lonnie Chisenhall walked. Ramirez then slammed a two-out double to left field, scoring Napoli and Chisenhall to give the Indians a 7-0 lead.
NOTES: Indians backup C Roberto Perez had surgery Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. He is expected to be sidelined from eight to 12 weeks. ... The Indians will have to make a roster move Saturday to clear a spot for RHP Cody Anderson, who will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus and will start Saturday's game against Kansas City. ... 3B Mike Moustakas was a late scratch from the Royals' lineup because of a sore left thumb. INF Christian Colon started in place of Moustakas. ... The Royals recalled LHP Brian Flynn from Triple-A Omaha. He takes the roster spot of OF Terrance Gore, who was optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday.