Final
Cabrera lifts Indians over Royals
Aug 28, 2011 - 5:51 AMVideo
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.
- KANSAS CITY: 7
CLEVELAND: 8
Final
Aug 27 10:37 PM - Asdrubal Cabrera two-out, three-run Home Run (21) to right scored Lonnie Chisenhall and Kosuke Fukudome. Ezequiel Carrera due up.
Royals 7, Guardians 8 Bot 8, 2 OutsAug 27 10:22 PM - Ezequiel Carrera singled to short. On the play, Asdrubal Cabrera advances to third. Runners on first and third with none out and Carlos Santana due up.
Royals 7, Guardians 5 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 27 9:37 PM - Alex Gordon one-out, three-run Home Run (18) to right scored Johnny Giavotella and Alcides Escobar. Melky Cabrera due up.
Royals 7, Guardians 4 Top 7, 1 OutAug 27 9:23 PM - Jim Thome one-out, solo Home Run (13) to left. Shelley Duncan due up.
Royals 4, Guardians 4 Bot 6, 1 OutAug 27 8:52 PM - Melky Cabrera double to left scored Salvador Perez. On the play, Alex Gordon thrown out at home. Runner on third with two out and Billy Butler due up.
Royals 4, Guardians 3 Top 5, 2 OutsAug 27 8:32 PM - Jack Hannahan triple to right scored JimThome and Jason Donald. Runner on third with two out and Lou Marson due up.
Royals 3, Guardians 3 Bot 4, 2 OutsAug 27 8:22 PM - Mike Moustakas double to right scored Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur. Runner on second with two out and Johnny Giavotella due up.
Royals 3, Guardians 1 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 27 8:08 PM - Eric Hosmer single to center scored Alex Gordon. Runner on first with two out and Jeff Francoeur due up.
Royals 1, Guardians 1 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 27 8:03 PM - Jack Hannahan single to center scored Shelley Duncan. Runner on first with two out and Lou Marson due up.
Royals 0, Guardians 1 Bot 2, 2 OutsAug 27 7:40 PM - KANSAS CITY: 0
CLEVELAND: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 27 7:07 PM
Related News
- Royals Rumblings - News for December 26, 2023 Dec 26
- Royals Rundown: Recapping moves, MJ Melendez update, and love/hate new MLB rules? Dec 25
- A note from the front while awaiting news of anything resembling a baseball thing at all Dec 25
- Analysis of the ZiPS Projections for the 2024 Guardians Dec 24
- Copy of Happy Holidays From the CTC Team: Tell us your Guardians’ Christmas Wish Dec 24
- N&N: Padres ink Yuki Matsui for 5 years Dec 24
- The Royals got me what I wanted for Christmas Dec 23
- Weekend Rumblings - News for December 23, 2023 Dec 23
- Where Are They Now? - Your Favorite Forgotten Players From 2016 - 2023 Dec 22
- Royals Review Roundtable: The free-spending Royals Dec 22
- Royals Rumblings - News for December 22, 2023 Dec 22
- News and Notes: Is MLB's Hot Stove About to Burst Into Flame? Dec 22