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Indians target ninth straight home win vs. Royals

Apr 27, 2011 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Indians have been the biggest surprise in the league through the first month of the season thanks to their play at home. Tonight, the Indians take aim at a ninth straight victory as the host when they continue a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field.

The Indians put more distance between themselves and the Royals in the American League Central on Tuesday, as Shin-Soo Choo went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and four RBI, helping Cleveland to a 9-4 win. Grady Sizemore hit a two-run homer, Jack Hannahan had two solo shots and Matt LaPorta added a home run for the Indians, who won for only the second time in their last six games overall.

Cleveland, though, has won eight straight at home for the first time since 2007 and with another win tonight it will have its longest streak since winning nine in a row at Progressive Field from May 27-June 19, 2005.

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."

Alex Gordon extended his hitting streak to 19 games and 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 and now sit 2 1/2 games back of the Tribe in the division.

Gordon's stretch is the eighth-longest in team history, while Jeff Francoeur is riding a 5-game hitting streak of his own dating back to April 9.

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.

The Indians have a pretty good shot at continuing their impressive run tonight, as they send unbeaten hurler Josh Tomlin to the hill. Tomlin, who is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA on the year, has won his last five decisions dating back to last season, but his bullpen denied him a sixth consecutive win his last time out, despite holding the Royals to a run and five hits in 7 1/3 innings. Kansas City eventually rallied for a 3-2 win.

Tomlin has faced the Royals four times and is 2-1 with a 4.44 ERA in those outings.

Kansas City, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Jeff Francis, who has lost his last two starts. Francis was battered on Friday in Texas, as the Rangers reached him for six runs (five earned) and nine hits in just four innings, dropping him to 0-2, while ballooning his ERA to 4.06.

Francis is 1-1 in two starts versus the Indians with a 6.17 ERA.

The Indians, who won 10 of their 18 matchups with KC a year ago, have beaten the Royals in six of the last eight meetings in Cleveland.