Royals open homestand with win over Indians
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Edinson Volquez allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings, while rookie Whit Merrifield homered, tripled and scored both runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the division-leading Cleveland Indians 2-1 Monday night.
The Royals had lost six of seven to the Indians, all in Cleveland, before opening this seven-game homestand with a victory. The victory moved the Royals within two games of the Indians. The Royals and Detroit Tigers are tied for second in the American League Central. The Indians lost for only the fourth time in 13 June games and had their seven-game winning streak against division opponents snapped.
While Volquez permitted just two hits, he walked four, including three in the first inning, and hit a batter. He threw 59 strikes in 95 pitches. Volquez (6-6) had allowed nine runs on 11 hits and six walks over 11 innings in losing his previous two starts.
Kelvin Herrera, who replaced Volquez in the eighth, gave up a leadoff homer to Jason Kipnis. Kipnis' eighth home run came on a 1-2 Herrera offering, depositing it over the right-center wall.
After Kipnis' homer, Herrera walked Francisco Lindor, but rebounded by striking out Mike Napoli and including Jose Ramirez to ground into a double play.
Wade Davis gave up a ninth-inning leadoff single to Lonnie Chisenhall before picking up his 18th save in 19 chances and his second in as many days after going 10 days without a save opportunities.
Salvador Perez had three of the Royals' 11 hits, raising his average to .290.
Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (2-2) was removed after six innings and 103 pitches. While he gave up 10 hits, including Merrifield's home run, he held the Royals to two runs. He struck out eight, matching his season high. Carrasco is 0-2 in three starts since coming off the disabled list on June 2.
Volquez had difficulty finding the strike zone in the first inning.
Nine of his first 10 pitches were called balls, walking Carlos Santana and Kipnis to open the game. He retired Lindor and Napoli on fly balls before walking Ramirez to load the bases. Volquez got out of the mess when Chisenhall rolled out to Merrifield.
Merrifield led off the bottom of the first with a triple to right, which got over the head of Chisenhall, who misplayed it. Alcides Escobar singled home Merrifield, but he was out attempting to steal second base, which loomed big before the inning ended.
Carrasco walked Eric Hosmer and yielded a two-out single to Salvador Perez before Kendrys Morales grounded out to end the inning. The Royals converted a triple, two singles and a walk into just one run.
Volquez's control again betrayed him in the fourth when he walked Chisenhall and hit Yan Gomes with a pitch, but once more got out of the trouble. He limited the Indians to one hit -- a Kipnis double to the right-center warning track off Fuentes' glove -- in the first five innings.
Merrifield made it 2-0 in the fourth with his first major league homer for an accompaniment to his first big league triple. Merrifield drove an 0-2 Carrasco pitch into the Royals' left-field bullpen, an estimated 402 feet.
NOTES: 3B Juan Uribe was not in the Indians lineup after being carted off the field in the fourth inning of Sunday's game. Uribe suffered a testicular bruise from a grounder by Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout, which was clocked at 106 mph. Uribe said he does not wear a cup and does not plan on doing so despite the painful injury. ... The Royals signed RHP A.J. Puckett to a $1.2 million contract. Puckett, who is their first pick in the 2016 draft but a second-round choice, had emergency brain surgery in high school. He recorded a 45 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings streak as a junior at Pepperdine. ... Indians SS Francisco Lindor has 10 games with three-or-more hits this season, tied for second most in the majors. ... Royals RHP Wade Davis picked up his 17th save Sunday, his first since June 1. ... Indians RHP Josh Tomlin and Royals RHP Chris Young are the Tuesday probables.