KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cleveland probably couldn’t leave fast enough for the liking of the Kansas City Royals and their fans following Thursday night’s game. It has dominated the season series between the teams regardless of the venue.
Ryan O’Hearn’s fly ball to center field did not produce a game-tying home run in the bottom of ninth, instead it served as the final out in the Royals’ 4-2 loss in front of an announced 10,042 in attendance for the finale of the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals have now lost four in a row.
Cleveland completed a series sweep and has now won 11 in a row over the Royals this season.
Royals starting pitcher Mike Minor allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits, including a home run, in five innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. Four of the five hits Minor allowed came in the fifth inning.
The Royals manufactured a run in the second inning to take a slim early lead. Michael A. Taylor walked, advanced to second on a groundout, was awarded third on a balk and scored on a two-out single by Hunter Dozier.
However, Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie squelched the Royals offense for the majority of the night. He allowed just the one run on two hits and that lone walk in six innings.
Cleveland took control of the game with a three-run fifth inning. All three runs scored with no outs. Harold Ramirez reached on Emmanuel Rivera’s throwing error, and Yu Chang singled to put two runners on base in front of Owen Miller.
Miller hooked a 1-0 slider down the left-field line for a three-run home run. Minor had allowed just one hit in four innings prior to Rivera’s error to start the fifth. The fourth batter of that inning, Ryan Lavarnway, doubled and prompted stirring in the Royals’ bullpen.
After the first four batters of the inning reached base, including one error, Minor retired three of the next four and stranded two men on base to keep the score 3-1.
Chang’s two-out RBI single to right field in the eighth inning gave Cleveland a little more breathing room with a 4-1 advantage.
Edward Olivares’ RBI groundout in the ninth drove in the Royals’ only other run.
The Royals open a three-game weekend set at home against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (8-7, 5.00) is scheduled to start for the White Sox. The Royals had not announced a starter prior to Thursday night’s game.
