Indians 8, Royals 2
Fausto Carmona pitched seven strong innings and the Cleveland Indians belted four solo homers en route to an 8-2 home win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night to complete a sweep of their three-game series.
The Indians (16-8) have the best record in the American League and hold a 4 1/2-game lead over the Royals and Detroit Tigers in the Central Division. Cleveland has won 10 straight at home.
Kansas City (12-13) has lost six in a row and is 2-9 since starting the season with a 10-4 record.
Carmona (2-3) took a shutout into the seventh inning before Wilson Betemit belted a two-run double. Carmona gave up five hits, struck out two and walked two to pick up the win.
Carlos Santana, Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore and Shelley Duncan homered off Kyle Davies (1-3) for Cleveland's first four runs. Jack Hannahan added a two-run double in a five-run fourth.
Jeff Francoeur extended his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games.
Davies, who had allowed one homer in his first five starts, gave up eight runs in 3 1/3 innings. The Royals have allowed 17 home runs in their losing streak.
Choo and Santana hit back-to-back homers in the first. Sizemore went deep in the third while Duncan homered in the fourth.