Indians at Royals
The Cleveland Indians are looking more like the defending American League champions that they are as they begin a five-game road trip with three against the Kansas City Royals beginning Friday. The Indians (28-24), who maintained a virtual share of first in the AL Central with an 8-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon for their fourth victory in five games, and the Royals split six meetings this season after Kansas City won two of three in Cleveland last weekend.
The Royals (22-30) began a 10-game homestand, which also includes four with the red-hot Houston Astros, by losing two of three to Detroit earlier this week. Kansas City's Whit Merrifield went 1-for-3 on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 16 games - the longest active streak in the majors, and is batting .400 with three home runs, six RBIs, nine runs scored and five walks during the run. Edwin Encarnacion, who was batting .198 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his first 37 contests in an Indians uniform, missed his first game of the season Thursday despite hitting .321 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last 14 contests as manager Terry Francona decided to rest his slugger. Cleveland's Josh Tomlin is coming off a complete-game victory over the Royals and opposes Jason Vargas, who defeated the Indians in his last turn.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (3-6, 5.79 ERA) vs. Royals LH Jason Vargas (6-3, 2.39)
Tomlin allowed one run and six hits in Sunday's 10-1 victory over Kansas City for his first complete game since 2015 and is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in 16 innings over two starts versus the Royals this season. "It means you did your job," the 32-year-old Texan told reporters about finishing the game. "That's a good feeling to know that.'' Tomlin is 10-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 23 games (19 starts) versus Kansas City, but struggles against Salvador Perez (18-for-35, home run, eight doubles).
Vargas yielded two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-2 victory in Cleveland on May 27 to snap a two-game losing streak. The 34-year-old Californian, who is 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA in five home starts this season, permitted nine runs over 10 innings in losing consecutive starts to the New York Yankees. Vargas is 7-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 15 starts versus the Indians with Daniel Robertson (4-for-7, three walks, two doubles) and Jason Kipnis (10-for-29) giving him the most trouble.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley, who had a 14-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday, went 1-for-3 with two RBIs on Thursday.
2. Kansas City is 7-17 versus the Central Division this season after going 46-30 in 2016.
3. Cleveland reserve 2B Erik Gonzalez recorded his second career three-hit game Thursday. He has nine hits in 30 at-bats over 27 career contests.