Three unearned runs open door for Indians' 6-3 win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Cody Allen logged his 31st save as the Cleveland Indians scored three unearned runs in the eighth inning to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Saturday.
Whit Merrifield's fielding error on Abraham Almonte's grounder allowed Rajai Davis to score the go-ahead run. Francisco Lindor's two-out double with the bases loaded tacked on two runs.
Allen struck out two and allowed a hit in the ninth to claim his 31st save in 34 chances. Five Indians pitchers combined to strike out 15 Royals.
Matt Strahm was the losing pitcher. Mike Clevinger picked up the victory.
Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez labored through 24 pitches in the first inning when the Indians loaded the bases but came away empty. He walked Carlos Santana on eight pitches leading off the inning and Jason Kipnis singled. After retiring the next two batters, Volquez hit Jose Ramirez with a pitch before ending the threat with Lonnie Chisenhall popping up to Merrifield at second.
The Indians got a run in the second inning, which Coco Crisp led off with a walk, stole second and scored on Tyler Naquin's single to right.
With two outs in the third, Chisenhall tripled to deep center off Jarrod Dyson's glove and scored on a Volquez wild pitch with Crisp at the plate.
The Royals cut the lead to 2-1 in the third, clustering three two-out singles after Trevor Bauer had retired the first eight batters. Drew Butera started it with a single that Bauer deflected past diving shortstop Francisco Lindor and into left field. Dyson hit a sharp grounder to right field, moving Butera to second base. Merrifield's single to left scored Butera.
Volquez walked Lindor to begin the fifth, the third time in four innings he gave a free pass to the leadoff hitter. Ramirez singled, advancing Lindor to third, where he scored on a Chisenhall sacrifice fly to left fielder Alex Gordon.
Bauer walked Cheslor Cuthbert and Butera with one out in the fifth, but the Royals failed to score. Merrifield struck out to end the inning with Cuthbert on third and Dyson, who stole his 30th base of the season, on second.
The Royals tied it at 3 in the sixth, which Kendrys Morales and Paulo Orlando led off with doubles. Orlando's double off the Royals' bullpen fence brought home Morales. Alcides Escobar's ground single to left scored Escobar.
Volquez was removed after five innings, allowing three runs, five hits, four walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Volquez, who is eligible for free agency after this season, finished with a 5.37 ERA and failed to work beyond five innings in four of his final five starts.
Bauer was pulled after six innings and 96 pitches, giving up three runs and six hits.
NOTES: RHP Corey Kluber will throw a bullpen session Sunday. The Indians are not ruling out Kluber, who is hampered by quadriceps tightness, starting the playoff opener Thursday. ... C Salvador Perez, who has hamstring and knee issues, was out of the Royals' lineup for the third straight day and likely won't start the season finale. ... The Indians will meet Boston in the American League Division Series, which starts Thursday. That became a certainty on Friday night when Texas wrapped up postseason home-field advantage with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Terry Francona, who managed the Red Sox to two World Series titles, is in his fourth year managing Cleveland. ... The Indians outscored the Royals by 29 runs in the first 17 games of the season series. ... Indians RHP Josh Tomlin and Royals RHP Ian Kennedy are the Sunday probables.