(TSX / STATS) — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Cleveland Indians’ starting pitching is dominant. Just ask the Kansas City Royals or look at the statistics.
Trevor Bauer, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen combined on a seven-hit shutout as the Indians beat the skidding Royals 5-0 on Saturday night.
The Indians have outscored the Royals 15-1 in the first two games of this series. The loss dropped the Royals back to .500 and 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Indians.
Bauer (12-8) gave up seven hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings with four strikeouts. Shaw and Allen did not allow a hit and only one baserunner on a walk.
“It’s backwards as all hell,” Bauer said. “I think this is my first scoreless outing all year, and I wasn’t sharp, I didn’t punch people out, I had a lot of balls hit hard … and no runs. I don’t know, I’ll take it for sure. But it makes no sense.”
Indians starting pitchers have allowed one or no earned runs in 10 of their past dozen games. Bauer just continued the stretch of the Indians’ superb rotation.
“I thought he came out and had a real good breaking ball,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “And he held his stuff. But he really competed. He had a couple innings there where, I mean, I know the scoreboard didn’t reflect it, but they were competing too.”
Bauer has won his past five decisions.
“You know how Trevor is,” said catcher Roberto Perez, who had a clutch two-run single. “His head starts spinning on the mound. I mean, it was a battle. I think lately he has figured it out. He doesn’t let walks affect him, and umpires missing calls, and all that. He’s on a roll right now, so I don’t want to mess with him.”
Austin Jackson’s eighth-inning single scored Carlos Santana, who had doubled, with the Indians’ fifth run.
Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez hit back-to-back doubles in the first inning to produce a Cleveland run. Ramirez, who did not play Friday after being hit in the right forearm pitch Thursday, drilled a Jason Vargas pitch to center, scoring Kipnis.
The Indians loaded the bases in the fourth with one out on a walk and singles by Santana and Jackson. It appeared Vargas would wriggle out of this jam when he struck out Brandon Guyer swinging on a full-count pitch for the second out.
Perez, who was in a 3-for-25 skid, fell behind in the count 1-and-2 before lacing a two-run single to left, scoring Jay Bruce and Santana.
The Indians tacked on a run in the fifth and chased Vargas.
Ramirez walked with one out, advanced to second on Edwin Encarnacion’s groundout and scored on Bruce’s double to right on Vargas’ 96th and final pitch.
“It is more attributed more to their ability to lay off tough pitches,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Vargy is not going to groove pitches to them. He’s going to pitch to corners. He’s going to try to stay down. And they did a really good job of staying off of that.”
Vargas, who has only two wins since June 30 after being named to the All-Star Game, yielded four runs, six hits and three walks while striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings. He was replaced by Mike Minor.
“I just made mistakes with off-speed pitches up in the zone when it really counted,” Vargas said. “It’s frustrating.”
The Royals had opportunities early but came away with zilch. Lorenzo Cain doubled with one out in the first and Brandon Moss with two outs in the fourth but went no farther. Drew Butera and Cain singled in the fifth, but Bauer prevented them from scoring.
NOTES: The Royals placed RHP Neftali Feliz on the disabled list with right ulnar nerve palsy. LHP Eric Skoglund was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 4-5 with a 4.07 ERA in 20 starts. Skoglund will be used as a reliever. … Indians manager Terry Francona said according to the training staff it is 50-50 whether RHP Corey Kluber will make his Wednesday start against Boston. Kluber exited in the sixth inning on Friday with a sprained right ankle. … Royals C Salvador Perez took a full batting practice before the game for the first time since going on the DL with a right intercostal strain. … Royals manager Ned Yost celebrated his 62nd birthday. … RHPs Danny Salazar of the Indians and Jason Hammel of the Royals are the Sunday probables.
Photo credit – Orlin Wagner / Associated Press / Kansas City, MO
