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Cabrera lifts Indians over Royals

Aug 28, 2011 - 5:51 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Asdrubal Cabrera knocked in the go-ahead runs with a two-out, three-run homer in the eighth inning, as the Cleveland Indians topped the Kansas City Royals, 8-7, in the middle contest of a three-game series.

An inning earlier, Alex Gordon gave the Royals a 7-4 lead with a three-run blast, but Cabrera doubled in a run in the home half, then followed a Lonnie Chisenhall single and a Kosuke Fukudome walk with a homer in the eighth to make a loser of Louis Coleman (1-4).

Joe Smith (3-3) recorded the final out in the top of the eighth to earn the win, while Chris Perez stranded a runner at second in the ninth to record his 29th save of the season.

Jim Thome, acquired by Cleveland on Thursday, celebrated his 41st birthday with a solo home run, while Jack Hannahan went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Indians, who trail the AL Central-leading Tigers by 6 1/2 games.

The Indians grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second. Shelley Duncan reached with an infield single, advanced to second on Jason Donald's groundout and scored on Hannahan's broken-bat single to right-center.

Alex Gordon led off the top of the fourth with a double and Eric Hosmer made it a 1-1 game with a two-out single up the middle. Jeff Francoeur followed with a single before Mike Moustakas put the Royals on top with a two-run double.

A half-inning later Hannahan struck again, following a Thome walk and a Donald base hit with a two-out, game-tying single.

The Royals promptly responded. Salvador Perez led off the fifth with a single and Gordon walked two batters later. Melky Cabrera followed with a double, which scored Perez, but Gordon was cut down at the plate after running through third base coach Eddie Rodriguez's stop sign.

Thome, who began his career with Cleveland, brought Progressive Field to life with a game-tying homer in the sixth, his first as an Indian since September 28, 2002.

Gordon rendered Thome's homer moot with a three-run longball in the top of the seventh. Indians starter Fausto Carmona hit Johnny Giavotella to begin the inning and Alcides Escobar reached on a Carlos Santana error to place runners at the corners. With Gordon -- who is 15-for-31 lifetime against Carmona -- looming, manager Ned Yost went to reliever Tony Sipp. Gordon sent a 2-0 slider over the wall in right-center, giving the Royals a 7-4 lead.

Blake Wood began the home seventh for the Royals and allowed back-to-back doubles to Fukudome and Cabrera to make it a 7-5 game.

Later in the frame, Wood was pulled with runners on second and third and one out. Tim Collins, who walked home the eventual winning run in Friday's series opener, entered and put down Thome on strikes. Coleman then popped out Duncan to prevent further damage.

"We chipped away there after that big three-run homer in that next inning," said Perez. "We got guys on base and kind of made them feel like we're not going away. I think that was huge, coming back answering, even with just that one (run)."

Coleman allowed a leadoff single in the eighth, but Hannahan ground into a 4-6-3 double play. The pinch-hitting Chisenhall then singled and Fukudome walked, setting the stage for Cabrera, who sent a 1-1 slider into the seats in right.

"When he's gonna be successful he's gonna pitching off his fastball, not off his slider," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Coleman.

Salvador Perez began the ninth with a single and advanced to second when center fielder Ezequiel Carrera failed to field the ball cleanly. Escobar then slapped a grounder back towards Perez, who nailed Carrera at third. He struck out Gordon and popped out Cabrera to end the game.

Game Notes

KC starter Danny Duffy allowed four runs over 5 1/3 innings...Carmona gave up six runs -- five earned -- over 6 1/3 frames...Thome was acquired from the Twins for a player to be named later. He is the Indians' all-time home run leader with 335...Gordon is a career .484 hitter off of Carmona.