KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)– Michael Brantley drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning, backing a strong performance by Carlos Carrasco and sending the Cleveland Indians to a 2-1 victory over the slumping Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Carrasco (7-4) allowed five hits over seven innings to win his third straight start. The big right-hander struck out eight while dominating Kansas City for the second time in a month.
Cody Allen handled a perfect ninth for his 12th save as the Indians won for the 11th time in 14 games. AL Central rival Kansas City lost for the sixth time in its last seven.
Wade Davis (2-1) was summoned in the eighth to keep the game tied, but he walked Michael Bourn to lead off the inning.
Jose Ramirez appeared to ground into a double play moments later, but first base umpire Bob Davidson ruled the speedy Ramirez had beaten the relay throw.
Royals manager Ned Yost challenged the call, and fans were so certain Ramirez was out that they cheered when replays was shown on the big screen. But after a review of nearly 3 minutes, the call stood — Ramirez was safe at first base with just one out in the inning.
Jason Kipnis followed by grounding into a fielder’s choice — second baseman Omar Infante bobbled the ball to scuttle another potential double play — and Carlos Santana worked a full-count walk, all before Brantley ripped his go-ahead single to center field.
It was the first run Davis had yielded this season.
Most of the game amounted to a showdown between Carrasco and Jeremy Guthrie.
Carrasco was hardly a surprise. He’d allowed three runs over 14 innings in winning his last two starts, and was facing a Royals offense that has now scored seven runs in its last six losses.
Guthrie was the more surprising half of the pitcher’s duel.
The veteran had given up a career-high 11 runs, including four homers, while retiring three last Monday at Yankee Stadium. Thirteen of the 16 batters he faced reached base.
Bouncing back against the Indians, Guthrie allowed a pair of hits in 5 2/3 innings: Moss’s home run on a full-count pitch in the fourth and a double by Santana in the sixth.
At that point, Yost turned the game over to his bullpen. Franklin Morales and Kelvin Herrera got the game to Davis, whose long scoreless streak finally came to an end.
