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Cabrera the hero as Royals down Tribe

Apr 22, 2011 - 3:56 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Melky Cabrera's two-run single in the bottom of the ninth lifted Kansas City over Cleveland, 3-2, in the finale of a four-game set.

Reliever Aaron Crow (2-0) earned the win when he pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Royals, who recorded a split.

Chris Perez (0-1) took the loss and blown save when he allowed the winning runs on three hits and a walk in the ninth to give Cleveland its second loss in three games.

Grady Sizemore's bloop single to center scored Matt LaPorta after he led off the fifth with a single and was advanced to third by a Jack Hannahan walk and an Adam Everett sacrifice bunt. Shin-Soo Choo brought home Hannahan on a line- drive that was almost caught on a dive by Royals left fielder, Alex Gordon, to give Cleveland a two-run lead.

"After seeing the first few innings, I knew it was going to be a battle to the end," said Royals starter Sean O'Sullivan. "I was pretty upset with myself when I gave up those two (runs) in the fifth knowing how well he (Josh Tomlin) was pitching. But with our guys, we never give in."

Carlos Santana doubled to left in the eighth for Cleveland but was thrown out at home while trying to score on Travis Hafner's single to keep the score at 2-0.

Kansas City loaded the bases in the eighth with two outs and scored a run when Jeff Francoeur hit a grounder to shortstop, Asdrubal Cabrera, who had to dive to snag the ball. Francoeur reached base for an infield single and Chris Getz scored.

Perez entered the game in the ninth and allowed a lead-off double by Kila Ka'aihue, and then a single by pinch-hitter Mitch Maier. Alcides Escobar followed with a grounder to the third baseman, Hannahan, whose throw home beat Ka'aihue to the plate for the first out.

Perez then walked Getz to load the bases. Melky Cabrera followed with a single to left field that scored Maier and Escobar for Perez's first blown save since August 12, 2010.

"Right now, it doesn't matter to me. But tomorrow I might look at it. It's been a good run. It lasted all the way from last year and I got out of the gates pretty fast this year with the team and it was fun," said Perez. "It was bound to happen, the law of averages, but tonight they just didn't hit it at somebody. They found the holes."

Neither starter factored in the decision.

Josh Tomlin pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four for the Tribe.

O'Sullivan went six-plus innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts for Kansas City.

Game Notes

Wilson Betemit extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games...Sizemore has three multi-hit games in the five he has played since coming off of the disabled list.