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Choo collects four RBI, Indians top Royals

Apr 27, 2011 - 4:05 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Shin-Soo Choo went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and four RBI, as the Cleveland Indians took a 9-4 win over the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game set.

Grady Sizemore hit a two-run home run, Jack Hannahan had two solo shots and Matt LaPorta added a solo home run for the Indians, who came into the game having lost four of five. Justin Masterson (5-0) gave up three runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.

"Masterson continues to throw the ball very well for us," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He was overpowering at times."

Melky Cabrera went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, two RBI and two runs scored for the Royals, who have dropped their past four games. Luke Hochevar (2-3) was tagged for six runs on 11 hits with a walk and three strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.

"I threw some good fastballs that they were on and threw some good off-speed pitches that they were on," Hochevar said.

Choo hit into a fielder's choice in the first inning to score Sizemore and Hannahan hit his first home run of the game in the third to give the Indians a 2-0 lead.

Back-to-back RBI doubles from Alex Gordon and Billy Butler in the fourth tied the game for the Royals, but the Indians went ahead for good in the bottom of the fifth on consecutive solo homers from LaPorta and Hannahan for a 4-2 lead.

Cabrera led off the sixth with a solo home run, but Choo countered in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run blast over the wall in right-center for a 7-2 advantage.

Sizemore added a two-run homer in the eighth and Cabrera hit a two-out RBI double in the ninth to account for the final score.

Game Notes

These teams split a four-game set in Kansas City last week...Kansas City left eight men on base...Josh Tomlin throws for Cleveland on Wednesday while Jeff Francis will look for his first win of the season for Kansas City.