Aaron Civale struck out a season-high nine over seven innings and Josh Bell hit a two-run homer, sending the Cleveland Guardians to a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Civale (3-2) allowed two hits and did not walk a batter while throwing 100 pitches, 70 for strikes. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 2.56 in his seventh start since missing two months with a strained left oblique.

Trevor Stephan worked the eighth and Emmanuel Clase picked up his 25th save, wrapping up the two-hitter. Cleveland (44-44) won its second straight and improved to .500 for the first time since April 28, when it was 13-13.

Bell’s blast onto the home run porch in left came off Royals starter Daniel Lynch (2-4) and extended the Guardians’ lead to 3-0 in the fourth. Josh Naylor singled home Amed Rosario in the first, then singled and scored on Bell’s ninth homer of the year.

Bobby Witt Jr. doubled in the fourth, MJ Melendez doubled in the fifth and Maikel Garcia walked in the ninth for Kansas City’s only baserunners.

The Royals are 0-5 on their seven-game trip, totaling 26 hits while being outscored 31-8. Lynch gave up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Civale struck out Salvador Perez and Nick Pratto in all six of their plate appearances. Pratto was caught looking all three times, the last of which caused his frustration to surface. He was ejected by plate umpire Brennan Miller.

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Royals RHP Brady Singer (5-7, 5.52 ERA) takes on RHP Gavin Williams (0-1, 3.79 ERA), the Guardians’ top prospect, who has limited opponents to a .185 average over his first three big league starts.