CLEVELAND _ The Indians received bad news that could prove devastating to their playoff chances on Sunday morning with the report that Jose Ramirez was headed for surgery. Some salt was then poured into the proverbial wound later in the day, as the Indians put together a furious rally in the ninth but then fell 9-8 to the Kansas City Royals in 10 innings at Progressive Field.
The Indians (76-55) and Royals (46-85) entered the eighth tied 3-3 before the latter opened it up with a five-run rally.
Indians reliever Nick Wittgren entered the game for starting pitcher Shane Bieber. The deadlock was quickly undone. Whit Merrifield reached via an error on Francisco Lindor. Wittgren then left a fastball down the middle of the zone to Jorge Soler, who has been having a career year, and it was crushed for a go-ahead, two-run home run. Two walks, a wild pitch that brought home a run, another walk and a two-run double by Nicky Lopez made it 8-3.
Franmil Reyes then started and finished the comeback to tie it. In the eighth, he belted a solo home run before the Indians closed the gap in the ninth.
Francisco Lindor started the rally with a solo home run of his own, his 23rd of the season, to make it an 8-5 game.
Carlos Santana drew a walk and Yasiel Puig singled to bring the potential tying run _ in the form of Reyes _ to the plate with two outs. Down to the last strike, Reyes launched a towering three-run home run to the bleacher seats in left-center field to tie it 8-8. It was his second home run in as many innings and his 32nd for the season.
Though, the Royals quickly retook the lead in the top of the 10th. With Nick Goody on the mound, Ryan O'Hearn lined a solo shot to right field. The Indians in the bottom of the 10th weren't able to get anything going offensively, and their ninth-inning rally was for naught.
Yu Chang, recalled prior to the game in place of Ramirez, had a productive day. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs while notching his first career hit at the major-league level, a single in the fourth. Catcher Kevin Plawecki went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI.
Bieber finished with three runs allowed _ two earned _ on six hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts in seven innings.
