The Indians fell behind 2-0 in the first inning tonight on a two-run homer from Billy Butler, and the Kansas City Royals already had all the runs they would need off of Carlos Carrasco. But the Royals did not stop there.
Scoring in all but three innings and belting four home runs, Kansas City humbled the Tribe at Progressive Field 12-0, and with the Tigers’ win over the Angels, Cleveland is further out of first place than they have been at any time this season, as Detroit increased its lead to 2.5 games.
Carrasco had his second temper tantrum in recent weeks in the fourth inning after Melky Cabrera hit a grand slam to make it 7-0 Kansas City, when he went high and inside to Butler, almost hitting Butler in the head and getting himself ejected in the process. If you will recall, a couple of weeks ago Carrasco almost took the first baseman's glove off with a fastball throw to first after another bad inning.
Carrasco (8-9) lasted only 3.1 innings, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits, with three walks and only one K, and giving up three of Kansas City’s homers.
Chad Durbin, Frank Herrmann and Rafael Perez all got some work in, but only Perez escaped unscathed, as Durbin and Herrmann combined to allow five runs in 4.2 innings.
Butler ended up with two homers for Kansas City, giving him 12 for the season. Melky Cabrera’s grand salami was his 13th long ball of the season, and Alex Gordon also belted his 13th homer, in the second inning.
Kansas City totaled 16 hits, while the Indians’ offense could muster only five hits off of Francis (4-11) and Blake Wood, who finished up with a scoreless ninth.
Orlando Cabrera led the way for the Tribe with two hits, while Kosuke Fukudome went 0-for-4 in his first game with Cleveland.
The Indians will send Justin Masterson on Saturday at 7:05. It is not overstating the case to say that the Tribe needs to find a way to win the last two games of this series before embarking on a tough trip to Boston and Texas, after falling to 1-5 on this eight-game homestand with tonight’s loss.