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Homers power Royals over Indians, 12-0

Jul 30, 2011 - 4:50 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Billy Butler hit a pair of home runs to power Kansas City past Cleveland, 12-0, in the opener of a three-game series at Progressive Field.

Melky Cabrera added a grand slam and Alex Gordon homered and doubled while knocking in three runs for the Royals, who have won three of five.

Jeff Francis (4-11) tossed eight shutout innings to earn his first win since beating the Angels on June 10.

"If I can just keep throwing strikes and let the defense do it's job things will work out," said Francis. "I felt good out there tonight and this is something positive to build on."

Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana both doubled for the Indians, who had just five hits and have dropped seven of eight.

Carlos Carrasco (8-9), who was ejected in the fourth inning, was pegged with the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits in just 3 1/3 innings.

Kansas City broke the game open in the fourth with its third home run of the game. After loading the bases with one out, Cabrera clubbed his second career grand slam to take a 7-0 lead.

Carrasco became upset after Cabrera stood in the batter's box to admire his home run and in return delivered a pitch inches from Butler's head. Carrasco was immediately ejected as the benches cleared, but order was quickly restored and there were no further ejections.

"We always said that pitching sets the tone and obviously he didn't bring his 'A' game tonight," said Cleveland manager Manny Acta about his starter. "He didn't have any command out there and just struggled."

The Royals showed no mercy in the fifth, adding another run to extend their lead to 8-0. Jeff Francoeur led off with a double before scoring on Alcides Escobar's single to right-center.

The slaughter continued as Kansas City extended its lead to 12-0 after adding a pair of runs in both the seventh and eighth. The seventh saw Mike Moustakas single and Escobar double before Gordon knocked them in with a double to left-center.

In the eighth Butler laced a 1-2 fastball over the wall in right for his second homer of the night. Brayan Pena then doubled to score Francoeur, who singled two hitters earlier.

Kansas City took an early lead after Butler hit a two-run homer in the first. Cabrera singled through the hole at second before Butler launched the 2-2 offering over the left-center wall.

The Royals stretched the lead to 3-0 in the second following Gordon's solo blast. With two outs Gordon roped a first pitch fastball into the right field bleachers.

Game Notes

Eric Hosmer extended his hitting streak to 10 consecutive games after doubling in the away first...Orlando Cabrera singled in the second inning, breaking a 10 2/3 inning hitless-drought for the Tribe...Kosuke Fukudome was hitless in his Indians debut and snapped a five-game hit streak.