Four-run 7th lifts K.C., 4-2 / LJWorld.com

Archive for Sunday, May 4, 2008

Tony Dejak/AP Photo. Enlarge photo.

Kansas City pitcher Joakim Soria, right, celebrates with catcher John Buck after the Royals beat Cleveland, 4-2. Soria earned his seventh save Saturday in Cleveland.

Associated Press

May 4, 2008

Cleveland — Billy Butler figured it was about time the Kansas City Royals did something big against C.C. Sabathia.

Butler's tie-breaking single sparked Kansas City's four-run seventh, leading the Royals to a 4-2 victory over Sabathia and the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.

"We were due," Butler said. "I don't know if he was tired or what, but we put together some good at-bats in the seventh. Four runs in an inning is big for us, especially with our offense."

The Royals, who had been blanked by Sabathia (1-5) through six innings, strung together six hits and sent nine men to the plate.

"We don't drop many four-spots," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "To do it against a pitcher like that is a good sign."

Meanwhile, the struggles continued for the anemic Indians offense, which has scored three runs or less in 16 of its 30 games. Yet Sabathia, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, blamed himself for the loss.

"I take full responsibility for this," he said. "We had the lead. It's my job to shut it down and get it to the back end of the bullpen. I didn't do that."

Luke Hochevar (2-1) held the Indians to two runs and three hits in six innings. Joakim Soria, the Royals' fourth pitcher, pitched the ninth for the save. The right-hander has converted all seven of his save chances and hasn't allowed a run in 12 innings.

"In the dugout, I knew something was going to happen," Hochevar said of the big inning. "The guys had confidence at the plate. We hit the ball really well tonight."

Sabathia had allowed one earned run in his last 20 innings through the sixth, but retired only one of the five hitters he faced in the seventh.

John Buck started the inning with a double and took third on Tony Pena Jr.'s bunt hit. David DeJesus' single scored Buck. After a sacrifice, Alex Gordon's single scored Pena and tied the game. Right fielder Franklin Gutierrez tried for a sliding catch, but the ball hit his glove and fell to the ground for a hit.

Masa Kobayashi replaced Sabathia and retired Jose Guillen on a fly ball to shallow right, but Butler's single up the middle on a 2-2 pitch scored the go-ahead run. Mark Teahan's single off Rafael Perez added another.