Royals pounce on winless Kluber, beat Indians

Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals beat Corey Kluber again to win a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians.

Eric Hosmer hit a three-run homer in the first inning off the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and the Royals rolled to a 7-4 win over the Indians on Thursday.

Kluber (0-5) remained winless this season, losing to the Royals for the second time in 11 days after giving up five runs, seven hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

"In the first inning, he worked from behind in the count and he paid for it," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Kluber.

The Indians are 0-7 with the star right-hander on the mound this season -- the first time that's happened to a reigning Cy Young winner's team since the 1989 Minnesota Twins dropped Frank Viola's first seven starts.

The Royals banged out 12 hits after the start of the game was delayed 2 hours and 17 minutes because of rain.

Starter Edinson Volquez lasted just three innings, giving up three runs and six walks, and Franklin Morales (3-0) earned the win in two frames.

Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar made his first major league appearance since having Tommy John surgery last year. The former No. 1 draft pick, who had been pitching at Triple-A Omaha, had two strikeouts in a perfect sixth.

Carlos Santana homered for the Indians, who had just four hits.

The Royals jumped on Kluber, who hit Alex Gordon with his fourth pitch of the game and then gave up four straight hits to put the Indians in a 4-0 hole with no outs.

Gordon scored all the way from first base on Mike Moustakas' single after right fielder Jarrod Dyson misplayed the ball. Hosmer delivered the big blow, a three-run shot to center field for his fifth homer of the season.

"I was just trying to put a good swing on it," Hosmer said.

Lonnie Chisenhall tripled and scored for the Indians in the second inning, but they squandered a chance for more runs after Michael Bourn and Roberto Perez both drew two-out walks.

Volquez issued four of his six walks in the third inning, including three in a row to force in two runs and draw the Indians within 4-3.

Kluber settled down after allowing Hosmer's homer. He issued a couple of walks but didn't give up another hit until Moustakas' leadoff single in the fifth. Moustakas, who later scored on Salvador Perez's single to give the Royals a 5-3 lead, chased Kluber with his third hit of the game in the sixth.

Santana homered off Ryan Madson in the seventh to cut Cleveland's deficit to a run, but the Royals scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 7-4.

Omar Infante hit a two-run double after three consecutive singles loaded the bases. The Royals loaded the bases again, but Moustakas flied out to end the inning.

Greg Holland pitched the ninth to earn his fifth save.

Game Notes

Kluber had seven strikeouts ... Major League Baseball reduced Royals pitcher Kelvin Herrera's suspension from seven games to six on Thursday. Herrera drew separate suspensions for throwing at Oakland's Brett Lawrie and participating in a brawl with the Chicago White Sox ... The Royals activated Hochevar off the disabled list and optioned reliever Brandon Finnegan to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to make room on the roster. They also made a trade, acquiring catcher Drew Butera from the Angels in exchange for minor league infielder Ryan Jackson ... The Indians will start a six-game homestand on Friday against Minnesota ... The Royals begin a seven-game road in Detroit.