Balanced offense leads Indians past Royals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - All nine Indians starters had at least one hit and seven drove in runs in Cleveland's 10-3 drubbing of the Kansas City Royals to even this three-game series at one game apiece.
Brandon Moss homered, drove in three and scored twice to back Carlos Carrasco (4-2), who struck out six in seven innings of three-run ball.
"I thought (Carrasco) did really well," said Indians pitcher Terry Francona. "He pitched really effectively against a lineup that feels pretty good about themselves."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mike Aviles had three hits while he and Carlos Santana also scored twice in Cleveland's most balanced performance of the season.
Royals starter Danny Duffy had given up just six earned runs over his last four starts and Kansas City had won his last eight outings at home, but you wouldn't have known it watching the young lefty on Wednesday.
Duffy (2-1) was pulled before recording an out in the second inning and was charged with four runs on six hits.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I just didn't have my stuff tonight," said Duffy. "It's a weird feeling that I haven't had in a long time."
Kipnis doubled and was thrown out at home on Santana's single in the first inning, but Cleveland still got on the board when Santana sprinted home on Duffy's wild pitch.
Three singles, a double and a hit by pitch to start the second spelled the end of Duffy's outing. Lonnie Chisenhall, Brett Hayes and Kipnis had RBI knocks in the frame to make it 4-0.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Santana padded the lead with a sacrifice fly against Brandon Finnegan in the top of the fourth. Kansas City got to Carrasco in the home half, with Kendrys Morales smacking his fourth homer of the season with Lorenzo Cain on first.
Then in the sixth inning, Eric Hosmer doubled in Cain to make it 5-3, but Cleveland put the game out of reach with a big seventh.
Franklin Morales came on for Chris Young to start the inning and never got into a rhythm, walking Santana before serving up a single to Michael Brantley and RBI double to Ryan Raburn.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Moss then plated two with his double to right and scored later in the frame on Aviles' poke to right.
Moss' ninth inning homer put the finishing touches on the rout.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Royals leadoff hitter Alex Gordon went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts ... Cleveland is now 4-0 in Carrasco's career when he starts in Kansas City ... Cain returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games to serve a suspension ... Hosmer has hit safely in 13 straight starts against the Indians.