Royals silence Indians
Kansas City, Mo. ? Dan Reichert liked the sound he heard when A.J. Hinch’s bat connected with a C.C. Sabathia pitch in the fifth inning.
The result was a three-run homer, and Reichert won for the first time since July 16, leading the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Indians, 9-0, Friday night.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Right when A.J. hit it, I started clapping,” Reichert said. “I was one of the best sounds I’ve heard in a while. I knew he got it good.”
Joe Randa had four RBIs for the Royals, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since April 10-11, matching their longest winning streak this season.
Hinch, who also homered Thursday, connected off Sabathia (3-4) in the fifth inning for a 3-0 lead. The Royals’ previous six homers and 12 of 17 this year were solo shots.
“That’s the big hit of the game, that three-run homer,” Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. “C.C. was cruising until the guy hit the home run off of him.”
Sabathia said he hung a curveball.
“I still thought we were in the game, 3-to-nothing,” Sabathia said. “We’ve got a good enough offense to comeback from that.”
Four Royals pitchers, however, shut out the Indians on seven singles.
Reichert (1-3), who had gone 16 appearances without a win, allowed one hit in three shutout innings in relief of Chris George, who left after three innings because of a split nail on the middle finger of his left hand.
“It feels good to get the first one under my belt,” Reichert said. “You don’t know how many you’re going to get out of the bullpen.”
Sabathia, 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA in six previous starts against the Royals, allowed six runs five earned and eight hits in six innings.
Randa hit a two-run single in a three-run sixth and added a two-run double in the eighth, giving him a team-leading 22 RBIs. Mike Sweeney had reached first on Einar Diaz’ passed ball after striking out leading off the eighth.
Brandon Berger and Carlos Beltran each had three hits for the Royals.