Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians Box Score on Sep 17, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 17, 2017

CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber pitched seven scoreless innings and Edwin Encarnacion belted his 36th home run as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Sunday at Progressive Field.

Kluber (17-4), who struck out nine and did not walk a batter, has pitched 22 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three starts. Cody Allen pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his 28th save.

Royals starter Danny Duffy (8-9) took the loss, although he pitched well. Duffy allowed one earned run on one hit in five innings, with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Cleveland took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning, but Kansas City trimmed the deficit with one out in the eighth. Whit Merrifield and Melky Cabrera singled off reliever Bryan Shaw, putting runners at first and second. Tyler Olson relieved Shaw and retired Eric Hosmer on a grounder back to the mound, but the runners moved to second and third.

Brandon Moss then lined a two-run single to center to make it 3-2, but Allen came in to get the third out.

Duffy was making his first start since Aug. 22. He had been on the disabled list with an elbow impingement. The first batter Duffy faced, Francisco Lindor, hit a ball over the left field wall near the foul pole for what appeared to be a home run. But the Royals challenged the call, and after a video review it was reversed, and ruled a foul ball. Lindor then grounded out to Duffy.

Duffy retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced before Austin Jackson led off the fourth inning by reaching on an error by second baseman Merrifield. Carlos Santana flied out but Encarnacion pounded a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall, giving the Indians a 2-0 lead.

Duffy then retired the next five batters he faced before being removed from the game after five innings and 62 pitches.

Kluber held the Royals hitless until Paulo Orlando sliced a single to right field with one out in the fifth inning. Kansas City's only other hits off Kluber were seventh inning singles by Hosmer and Cheslor Cuthbert.

The Indians scored what turned out to be the winning run in the seventh inning. Greg Allen got hit by a pitch from Peter Moylan, went to third on a single by Roberto Perez, and scored when Giovanny Urshela grounded into a force out at second.

NOTES: The Indians clinched their second consecutive Central Division title Saturday night when second-place Minnesota lost its game with Toronto. Prior to Sunday's game, the Indians hoisted the division championship flag, and manager Terry Francona addressed the crowd. The Indians then held the traditional champagne spraying celebration in their clubhouse following the game. ... Indians 2B Jason Kipnis made his first career start in center field Sunday. Kipnis, who played center field in college at Arizona State, is getting a trial in center field as a potential replacement for injured OF Bradley Zimmer. Kipnis played five innings and did not have a ball hit to him. ... Indians 2B Jose Ramirez was given a second consecutive day off Sunday to rest his sore hamstring. He's expected to be back in the lineup Tuesday when the Indians open a series with the Angels. ... Royals 3B Mike Moustakas did not start Sunday due to a sore right knee, the result of a collision with Cleveland 3B Yandy Diaz, who slid hard into third base in the sixth inning Saturday. Moustakas did pinch hit in the eighth inning and struck out. ... C Salvador Perez missed the last three games of the Cleveland series with a strained muscle on his right side.