Goodyear, Ariz. ? Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo combined for five hits as the middle of Cleveland’s lineup looks ready to start the season.

Cleveland rookie Cord Phelps tripled in the winning run with none out in the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Manager Manny Acta was more pleased with seeing Santana slide headfirst for a triple, steal a base and get two hits. The catcher had surgery on his left knee in August.

“First thing I thought was, ‘Nice surgery,”‘ Acta said. “I know Choo was impressed. He turned and said, ‘I’ve never seen a five-tool catcher.”

Santana played first base as part of Acta’s plan to keep the young slugger’s legs fresh with an occasional move there.

Choo, hitting .311 after getting three hits, and cleanup man Santana were among several injured Cleveland pitchers a year ago. Leadoff man Grady Sizemore won’t be ready for the season, though he is progressing from microfracture knee surgery in June. No. 2 hitter Asdrubal Cabrera is hitting .400 and playing well at shortstop. He missed six weeks in 2010 with a broken left forearm.

Both Acta and Royals manager Ned Yost are searching for more relief. Each got mixed results.

Sean O’Sullivan, the Royals’ long reliever earlier this week, gave up four runs in the eighth and ninth.

Homers by Alcides Escobar and Kila Ka’aihue helped Kansas City to a 7-4 lead. O’Sullivan allowed three runs in the eighth after Tim Collins, Louis Coleman and Aaron Crow held Cleveland to one run over the middle 41/3 innings.