Thursday 28th March 2024

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Maikel Franco drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and had an RBI single in the ninth as Kansas City beat the Cleveland Indians 8-6 Tuesday night to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer and Cam Gallagher had an RBI double for Kansas City, which had been outscored 51-18 and only held the lead after one inning in losing its first seven games in September.

Adalberto Mondesi led off the eighth with a single off Adam Cimber (0-1) and scored on Franco’s fly to center, putting the Royals up 6-5. Later in the inning, Nicky Lopez was hit by a pitch from Oliver Perez with the bases loaded to score Hunter Dozier.

Franco added a two-out single in the ninth off Adam Plutko to extend Kansas City’s advantage to 8-5.

Greg Holland (3-0) worked two perfect innings, striking out three, for the win. Scott Barlow allowed one run in the ninth before earning his second save.

Carlos Santana, Sandy Leon and Francisco Lindor each homered for Cleveland, which had won three in a row.
Indians rookie Triston McKenzie struck out seven and allowed three hits in five innings, leaving with a 5-3 lead.

Royals right-hander Jakob Junis gave up a season-high five runs and all three Cleveland homers in 4-1/3 innings, remaining winless in seven starts since Sept. 4, 2019.

UP NEXT:
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (2-3, 4.83 ERA) seeks to break a seven-start winless streak in Cleveland. He is 0-6 with a 9.33 ERA at Progressive Field since Sept. 22, 2014.
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 3.43 ERA) faces Kansas City for the second time this year. He struck out 10 over six innings, earning the win on July 26 in Cleveland. Pregame begins at 4:30, with game time at 5:10. You can hear the broadcast from the Royals’ Radio Network on KMMO AM 1300.