KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ If the Cleveland Indians remain the team to beat in the American League Central, the Royals, at the least, have found one team in their division they can handle.
Lorenzo Cain finished 3 for 4 with a two-run homer, Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to a major league-best 18 games and beleaguered starter Jason Hammel surrendered three runs in 62/3 innings, earning his second win in a 12-5 victory over the Indians on Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals revved their engines, recording a season high in runs scored while securing their second series victory over the Indians in consecutive weekends. They can complete a three-game sweep when rookie left-hander Eric Skoglung faces Trevor Bauer on Sunday afternoon.
The Indians entered the 2017 season as heavy favorites in the AL Central after claiming the American League pennant last October. The Royals were expected to be among their chief competition. Yet, on a Saturday in early June, the Royals (24-30) were still digging out of their early-season hole, climbing to within four games of the second-place Indians (28-26) and 5{ of the first-place Minnesota Twins, who played the Los Angeles Angels late Saturday night.
For one afternoon, the Royals looked nothing like the team that had struggled to produce runs all season. They exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, chasing Indians starter Carlos Carrasco from the game. They added a five-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh. Mike Moustakas finished 2 for 5 with a two-run double, while rookie Jorge Bonifacio continued his early tear, finishing 2 for 4 with a walk while raising his batting average to .288.
After some early hiccups in the second inning, Hammel settled in. He retired 15 of the last 17 batters he faced before exiting in the seventh. He offered the ball to manager Ned Yost, dapped hands with third baseman Moustakas and sauntered back to the dugout, earning a standing ovation from the 26,497 in attendance at Kauffman Stadium.
The response to the quality start perhaps said as much about Hammel's season to date _ a 1-6 record and a 6.18 ERA _ as it did about Saturday's performance, which helped secure a series victory.
The Indians built a 3-0 lead in the top of the second on a pair of homers by Carlos Santana and rookie Bradley Zimmer. Santana jumped a first-pitch fastball, ripping a solo shot into the right-field bullpen for his 16th career homer at Kauffman Stadium, tying Miguel Cabrera's mark for the most by an active player. Moments later, Zimmer, younger brother of Royals prospect Kyle Zimmer, crushed a 3-2 breaking ball onto the porch in right-center field with one man on, giving the Indians a three-run cushion.
For a moment, it looked as if the Indians were poised to even the series. But Hammel bounced back. The offense came to life. And the afternoon turned into a rout.
