• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Meche looks to continue strong pitching for Royals

Apr 23, 2009 - 3:41 AM By Jeff Mezydlo Stats Senior Writer

Kansas City (8-6) at Cleveland (5-10) 12:05 p.m. EDT

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Solid starting pitching has been a big reason for the Kansas City Royals' early success in 2009.

Gil Meche hopes to continue that trend and help the Royals to a second straight victory Thursday in the decisive contest of a three-game road set with the Cleveland Indians.

On Wednesday, Kansas City received a strong six innings from recently called-up starter Brian Bannister in a 2-0 win to avoid a third straight loss and even the series after falling 8-7 on Tuesday.

After their starters as a group finished in the bottom half of the AL with a 4.62 ERA last season, the Royals' rotation is among the best in the majors early in 2009 with a 3.09 ERA.

Paced by talented arms like Meche, Zack Greinke and Kyle Davies, Kansas City's starters have not allowed a run in six of the 14 games, while helping the club move to the top of the Central standings.

Meche (1-0, 2.25 ERA) takes the ball after allowing six hits and striking out six in six scoreless innings of a 12-3 win at Texas on Friday.

"He was throwing everything for strikes, the changeup, curveball, fastball," Texas' Michael Young said. "He was moving in and out, and kept us off balance."

The right-hander is 4-8 with a 5.20 ERA in 18 starts against Cleveland.

Coco Crisp and Alberto Callaspo each had two hits while David DeJesus and Willie Bloomquist each drove in a run Wednesday for the Royals, who are 3-2 on their six-game road trip.

Callaspo, who never played more than 74 games in each of his previous three major-league seasons, earned an everyday spot at second base and is batting .385 (15-for-39) this year and 9-for-18 on the road trip.

"Alberto's always been able to hit," teammate Mike Aviles told the Royals' official Web site.

Mark Teahen had a double Wednesday and is hitting .450 (9-for-20) on the swing, but is 0-for-4 all-time against Cleveland's scheduled starter Anthony Reyes.

Reyes (1-0, 5.73) heads back to the mound after allowing three runs - all on solo homers - and five hits in five innings of a 6-5 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday.

Cleveland manager Eric Wedge would like to see a longer outing from Reyes this time.

"It starts with the starting pitching for us," he told the Indians' official Web site. "When you're only getting five innings per outing, there's not a bullpen out there that can survive that."

The right-hander has a chance to bounce back against Kansas City, a team he is 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA against in three career starts.

Victor Martinez had two of Cleveland's five hits Wednesday after going 4-for-5 with a two-run homer a night earlier. He is batting .403 (25-for-62) and 11-for-20 in five games against the Royals this season.

Martinez is 9-for-32 with a home run and eight RBI versus Meche.

Kansas City took two of three at home against Cleveland last week.