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Indians-Royals Preview

May 20, 2009 - 6:30 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (14-26) at Kansas City (21-18), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Without a playoff appearance in nearly 25 years, landmark victories have been few and far between for the Kansas City Royals. Perhaps their latest win can provide the spark for a special season.

The surprising Royals look to carry some momentum from a thrilling comeback victory, and win their third in a row when they continue a three-game series Wednesday night against the struggling Cleveland Indians.

Kansas City (21-18) scored four runs in the ninth inning off closer Kerry Wood to win 6-5 on Tuesday. Mike Jacobs and Mark Teahen hit back-to-back home runs, David DeJesus had added a run-scoring triple and scored when Willie Bloomquist lifted a sacrifice fly to set off a wild celebration.

"We dream of ninth innings like that," said Jacobs, who is 8 for 25 (.320) with four solo homers in his last seven games. "It's got to be the biggest win of the season for us so far."

The Royals have won three of four following a season-high six-game losing streak. Kansas City, which has finished fourth or fifth in the AL Central each of the past five years and hasn't been to the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, trails first-place Detroit by one game.

"We need to feel good about it and hopefully build the momentum into (Wednesday)," Bloomquist said.

To try and do so, Gil Meche (2-4, 4.60 ERA) seeks his first home victory of 2009 for the Royals.

Meche allowed five runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 9-5 loss to Baltimore on Thursday. He's 0-2 with an 8.40 ERA in three starts at Kauffman Stadium.

After posting a 2.25 ERA in his first three starts, the right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.33 ERA in his last five. That stretch started at Cleveland on April 23, when Meche allowed four runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 5-2 defeat.

The last-place Indians (14-26) have lost four straight with their bullpen allowing eight runs in 10 2-3 innings. Cleveland has the AL's second-worst ERA among relief pitchers at 5.84.

"It's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get up," Indians manager Eric Wedge told the team's official Web site.

Wedge next gives the ball to Fausto Carmona (2-4, 5.70), who looks to help Cleveland avoid its first five-game skid since the start of the season.

Against Tampa Bay on Thursday, Carmona threw five shutout innings before being knocked around for five runs in the sixth. He ended up allowing four hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings of the 11-7 win for his first victory since April 18.

Walks have been a big reason for Carmona's struggles this season. Through 47 1-3 innings, he's issued an AL-high 26 walks.

At Kansas City on April 13, Carmona gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in five innings of a 4-2 loss. The right-hander has been tagged for 11 runs in 11 1-3 innings in losing his last two starts to the Royals. He had been 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his previous five starts against them.

Cleveland's Grady Sizemore was moved from the leadoff slot Tuesday for the first time since Aug. 24, 2007. He batted second and went hitless in four at-bats to drop his average to .215.

Sizemore is batting .194 (7 for 36) with two homers, one double and 11 strikeouts lifetime versus Meche.