Indians Vs. Royals: Kansas City Takes 2nd Straight Over Cleveland

After losing 12 consecutive games, the Kansas City Royals (5-14) have now taken two straight from the Cleveland Indians (9-8) after a 4-2 win Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.

The Royals pushed across three runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Jeff Francoeur, Mike Moustakas and Brayan Pana each singled home a run.

Josh Tomlin (1-2) took the loss after surrendering four runs on eight hits in four and 2/3 innings. Luis Mendoza was the winning pitcher for Kansas City, going five innings and allowing two runs. Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his second save of the season.

Jason Kipnis had two hits and walk for the Indians, while Michael Brantley and Asdrubal Cabrera each had a hit of their own.

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

PHOTO: Carlos Santana Foul Ball Hits Royals' Catcher In A Bad Spot

Indians Vs. Royals Final Score: Cleveland's Bats Fall Silent In 8-2 Loss To Kansas City

The Cleveland Indians only had five hits and were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday night in a 8-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals, who ended their 12-game losing streak.

Ubaldo Jimenez allowed four earned runs on six hits in six-plus innings and walked three opposite just two strikeouts. Any hope for a Tribe comeback in the ninth while down 4-2 was dashed when Kansas City dropped another four-spot on the Indians in the top half.

Luke Hochevar got the win for the Royals by allowing just two earned run in tossing six and a third innings. The Royals hit four home runs -- two off the bat of Billy Butler -- and banged out 11 hits in all.

Travis Hafner and Aaron Cunningham had the only runs batted in for the Indians, who will close out their series with the Royals on Thursday afternoon.

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Indians: Shin-Soo Choo Will Not Play, Held Out With Strained Hamstring

The Cleveland Indians will look to extend the Kansas City Royals' losing streak to 13 games on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. The Tribe has dominated their Central Division rival over the past ten days and Ubaldo Jimenez will try to build on the work of Derek Lowe in Game 1 with a series clinching win.

Skipper Manny Acta, however, will be without his right fielder as Shin-Soo Choo is out of the lineup, still suffering from the hamstring tightness he experienced late in the 8th inning of Tuesday night's win. As expected, the Tribe's center fielder Michael Brantley will play in Game 2 after it was reported he was experiencing some soreness in the wrist that gave him problems last season.

Aaron Cunningham will start in right field in place of Choo and bat last in the lineup. The complete Tribe lineup, via @ZackMeisel:

Choo out w/ hamstring strain: Brantley CF, Cabrera SS, Santana C, Hafner DH, Duncan L,F Hannahan 3B, Kipnis 2B, Kotchman 1B, Cunningham RF

— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) April 25, 2012

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Shin-Soo Choo Injury: Indians' Catcher And OF Michael Brantley Day-To-Day

The Cleveland Indians came away from Tuesday night with a 4-3 win against the Kansas City Royals, improving the team to 9-6 on the young season, but they go into Wednesday with a couple of injury concerns, according to team beat writer Jordan Bastian:

Choo (hamstring tightness) is day to day. Will be re-evaluated Wednesday. Brantley (right wrist) doing OK & will play Wednesday.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) April 25, 2012

Shin-Soo Choo started on Tuesday night (0-for-3 with two strikeouts), but was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning due to his hamstring.

Michael Brantley came on in the eighth inning on Tuesday as a defensive replacement, although he didn't start the game. While it's encouraging that he is slated to play Wednesday, it has to be worrisome that the injury is to the same wrist he had surgery on in September last season, which forced him to miss the rest of the season.

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Indians Vs. Royals Final Score: Cleveland Holds Off Kansas City, 4-3

Behind three runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Cleveland Indians managed just enough offense to hold off the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night, 4-3. The Royals have now lost an MLB worst 12 straight games.

Jack Hannahan doubled in two runs in the fifth after Shelley Duncan brought home a run on a sacrifice fly to give the Indians a 4-1 lead. The Royals strung together a couple hits after a walk in the eighth to pull within two runs and added another in the ninth off closer Chris Perez, but Perez was able to escape with the save for the Tribe.

Derek Lowe picked up his third win of the young season by going six strong in which he struck out five and only walked one. Despite the run in the ninth, Perez locked down his seventh game of the season. Jonathan Sanchez, who walked seven in four-plus innings, took the loss for the Royals.

Game two of this three-game set will continue on Wednesday night with Ubaldo Jimenez taking the mound for the Indians.

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Indians Vs. Royals Score Update: 3-Run Fifth Inning Puts Cleveland Up 4-1

Tied 1-1 going into the home half of the fifth inning, the Cleveland Indians put up a three-spot on Jonathan Sanchez and the Kansas City Royals to take a 4-1 lead.

With a strikeout mixed in the middle, Sanchez walked the bases loaded in the fifth. With one out and the bags full, Shelley Duncan hit a sac fly to score the go-ahead run. Jack Hannahan followed Duncan up with a line drive double that plated another two runs to give the Indians their current 4-1 lead.

Sanchez, who walked seven batters in his four-plus innings of work, was lifted after Hannahan's double in favor of Tim Collins.

Indians starter Derek Lowe has gone six so far, allowing one earned run on eight hits, while striking out five opposite just one walk.

For more on the Cleveland Indians, check out Let's Go Tribe. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at Baseball Nation.

Indians Vs. Royals: Fresh Off 7-2 Road Trip, Cleveland Hosts Cellar-Dwelling Royals

After a nine-game road trip, the Cleveland Indians return home Tuesday to kick off a three-game series against the beleaguered Kansas City Royals.