KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cleveland slugger Carlos Santana was 0 for 14 with seven strikeouts against Kansas City closer Kelvin Herrera. That abruptly ended with one swing.
Santana and Francisco Lindor hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the ninth inning off Herrera to lift the Indians to a 3-1 victory over the Royals on Saturday.
IT'S A FACT
Former Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne, who last pitched in the majors in 2008, has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Independent Atlantic League. Gagne, 41, pitched for Canada in the World Baseball Classic this spring.
“A nice fastball,” Santana said. “Herrera has really good stuff. He throws hard. That’s why he’s the closer. He has a very good changeup. I tried not to do too much off him. I tried to make good contact and make a home run.”
Herrera (1-1) gave up the home runs in a span of three pitches. Santana took a 2-0 pitch out to right-center. Lindor hit his eighth, which landed in the Indians’ bullpen.
“We’ll take it,” Indians Manager Terry Francona said. “It’s a hard game to win.”
Andrew Miller (2-0) picked up the victory, while Cody Allen earned his eighth save in as many opportunities, but had to work around a walk and a single.
The Royals led 1-0 going into the eighth, but the bullpen could not hold it.
Joakim Soria, the third Kansas City pitcher, gave up three hits and the tying run in the eighth for his second blown save. Kipnis’ two-out single scored Michael Brantley.
Royals left-hander Jason Vargas allowed four singles over six-plus scoreless innings in a no-decision.
Vargas lowered his ERA to 1.19. He has a 0.34 ERA in four home starts, giving up one earned run in 262/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .181 off him at Kauffman Stadium.
Indians starter Josh Tomlin, who entered the game with an 8.87 ERA, limited the Royals to one run and three hits over seven innings.
“I knew all four pitches were working pretty well,” Tomlin said. “They were in the zone. I was able to locate them. I knew where they were going.”
Eric Hosmer drove in the lone Royals run. His fourth-inning single extended his hitting streak to 10 games and scored Lorenzo Cain, who had doubled.
RAYS 6, BLUE JAYS 1: Logan Morrison and Colby Rasmus each hit a two-run homer and Jake Odorizzi pitched seven strong innings for host Tampa Bay.
Odorizzi (2-1) gave up one run in seven innings, the seventh straight time the right-hander has given up two runs or fewer in starts against Toronto.
Morrison put the Rays up 2-1 in the third inning with his seventh home run. It came off Toronto starter Marco Estrada after a single by Evan Longoria.
The home run for Rasmus came on his first hit with the Rays.
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