Gomes, Tomlin help Indians edge Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Yan Gomes homered in his first at-bat since coming off the disabled list and Josh Tomlin pitched effectively into the eighth inning as the Cleveland Indians nipped the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Sunday.
The Indians went 14-5 against the Royals this season. The 2015 World Series champion Royals ended the season with four straight losses and finished at 81-81.
Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Carlos Santana with the go-ahead run. Santana walked with one out and stopped at third on Jason Kipnis' second double of the game before scoring on Lindor's fly out to right fielder Paulo Orlando.
Tomlin, who went 0-5 in August, limited the Royals to two runs and six hits over 7 1/3 innings, throwing 64 strikes in 88 pitches. He struck out three and walked none. Tomlin (13-9) will start the third game Saturday of the American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox.
Left-hander Andrew Miller got the final two outs of the eighth, while Cody Allen worked the ninth to log his 32nd save.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy (11-11) gave up three runs on four hits, two walks, two hit batters and a sacrifice fly in 7 2/3 innings, his longest outing since Aug. 20, but took the loss.
Gomes, who suffered a fractured right wrist when hit by a pitch on Sept. 14 while rehabbing with Columbus in the International League, homered for the first time since June 25 at Detroit in his first at-bat.
While the Indians and Gomes were wondering what his pain threshold would be while hitting, he quickly answered that by depositing Kennedy's first pitch over the left field wall after Tyler Naquin was hit by a pitch in the third inning.
The Royals got on the board quickly with Jarrod Dyson lacing a double to right on Josh Tomlin's first pitch and scoring when Whit Merrifield doubled to left on Tomlin's third pitch. Merrifield went to third on a Kendrys Morales ground out but was stranded there. Salvador Perez flied out to center but not deep enough for third base coach Mike Jirschele to wave him home.
Dyson and Merrifield were at the corners with one out in the third, but Morales grounded into a double play.
Rookie Cheslor Cuthbert led off the Royals fifth with his 12th home run, driving a Tomlin changeup out to left-center to snap an 0-for-12 skid.
NOTES: Indians RHP Corey Kluber threw 15 to 20 fastballs in a bullpen session, his first time off the mound since hurting his quadriceps in a Sept. 26 start. ... RHP Dillon Gee, who was hospitalized for two blood clots after a Sept. 25 relief appearance at Detroit, was in the Kansas City clubhouse. He is scheduled for thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on Oct. 11. ... RHP Danny Salazar, who has not pitched since Sept. 9 because of a forearm strain, could be on the Indians ALDS roster and used in relief. ... 1B Eric Hosmer was not in the Royals' lineup for the second straight game because of a wrist issue. Manager Ned Yost said it is not serious, just needing rest. ... C Salvador Perez, who was not in the Kansas City lineup Friday and Saturday because of leg issues, served as the Royals DH.