Lindor's 3 RBIs help Merritt win first start for Indians
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Francisco Lindor homered, doubled and drove in three runs and Carlos Santana had three hits and two RBIs as the Cleveland Indians topped the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Friday night.
The Indians are 11-5 against the Royals this season.
The offensive splurge allowed left-hander Ryan Merritt (1-0) to pick up a victory in his first major league start. Merritt went 6-1 with a 2.72 ERA in his final 10 starts with Triple-A Columbus before being recalled.
Lindor blasted his 15th home run of the season and his first since Aug. 10 against left-handed reliever Brian Flynn with two runners on base in the seventh. Lindor's homer struck the left-field foul pole.
Yordano Ventura (11-12) absorbed the loss, although he struck out eight in six innings. He permitted four runs, six hits and three hits and a hit a batter.
Drew Butera tripled in Hunter Dozier in the eighth for the final Kansas City run.
The Indians sent eight men to the plate in a four-run third inning. Tyler Naquin led off with a single and Roberto Perez walked. Carlos Santana tripled off the center-field wall to bring both home. Jason Kipnis flied out deep enough to right to get Santana home safely.
Lindor snapped an 0-for-29 slump with a double to right center, his first hit since a Sept. 16 single against Detroit. Jose Ramirez's two-out RBI single made it 4-1 as Ventura threw 27 pitches in the inning.
The Royals grouped three hits in the first inning against Merritt but converted it into only one run.
Billy Burns opened with a broken-bat single to left. Whit Merrifield bunted Burns over to second. Eric Hosmer grounded a single to right, scoring Merrifield for his 104th RBI. After Kendrys Morales laced a single to center, Merritt punctually prevented further damage when Paulo Orlando rolled into a double play.
Merritt retired the next 13 batters after Morales' single and was replaced by Dan Otero to start the sixth. He allowed one run and three hits, struck out four and didn't allow a walk.
NOTES: RHP Carlos Carrasco is finished for the year after the Indians put him on the 60-day disabled list Friday with a fractured fifth metacarpal on his right hand. He was injured when struck by a line drive on Sept. 9. ... The Indians activated C Yan Gomes from the DL. Gomes suffered a fractured right wrist when hit by a pitch Sept. 14 while rehabbing with Triple-A Columbus. ... Royals DH Kendrys Morales, who left the game Thursday when he was running a mild fever, was back in the lineup Friday. ... Indians RHP Corey Kluber, who is nursing a strained quadriceps, threw long toss before the game. ... Hunter Dozier made his fifth start in right field, although he played mostly third base in the minors with the Royals. ... Indians RHP Trevor Bauer and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez are the Saturday probables.