With the MLB All-Star break quickly approaching, the Kansas City Royals lost their fourth straight game and their eighth in a row to their AL Central Division rival Cleveland.
The first two losses of their series came in gut-wrenching ways as the Royals gave up a pair of walk-off home runs.
Saturday, Cleveland did not need a walk-off homer: It battered Royals starting pitcher Mike Minor with a six-run fourth inning and then pushed their lead to as many as six going into the final three innings.
The Royals rallied to get within three runs, but Cleveland kept the offensive onslaught going and dealt the Royals a 14-6 loss in the third game of a four-game set at Progressive Field.
Cleveland hit four home runs and smacked 17 hits.
The Royals will try to salvage a win in Sunday afternoon’s series finale and avoid a five-game losing slide headed into the break.
Salvador Perez and Andrew Benintendi each hit home runs for the Royals (36-53). Benintendi went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Perez, who has started every game and will take part in his seventh All-Star Game as well as his first Home Run Derby next week, came out of the game in the sixth inning with the Royals trailing by four runs.
Minor allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk in four innings. The Royals’ bullpen allowed an additional eight runs in the final four innings with the Indians not batting in the ninth.
The seventh inning featured a first as Royals relief pitcher Kyle Zimmer faced his brother Cleveland outfielder Bradley Zimmer in the majors. The two had faced one another in the minors, but never in the majors. Kyle struck out his younger brother.
