Kansas City @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2010 ) Kansas City 3, Cleveland 7
The Cleveland Indians have avoided their first 100-loss season since 1991. Now they will turn their attention toward avoiding last place in the AL Central.
The Indians look to make it two in a row on Saturday when they host the Kansas City Royals in the third contest of their four-game series at Progressive Field.
Entering Friday's outing with a five-game losing streak, Cleveland received a strong performance from starting pitcher Josh Tomlin and a two-homer effort from Jayson Nix to post a 7-3 victory. With eight games remaining, the Indians ensured themselves of finishing with no more than 99 losses, preventing them from reaching the century mark for the first time since going 57-105 during the 1991 campaign.
Making his 11th major league start, Tomlin allowed just one run and three hits over eight innings before serving up a two-run homer by Wilson Betemit with two outs in the ninth. The 25-year-old retired the next batter for his first career complete game and fourth win in five decisions.
Shin-Soo Choo also had a strong game, going 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs, a run scored and a stolen base.
The victory, which was Cleveland's 11th in its last 32 home contests, put the club one-half game behind Kansas City for fourth place in the AL Central. The Indians, who tied the Royals for fourth in the Central last year, have not occupied sole possession of last place since bringing up the rear in a seven-team AL East in that 1991 season.
Starting for Cleveland on Saturday will be Jeanmar Gomez, who has lost five consecutive decisions. The right-hander's last victory came on Aug. 12, when he held Baltimore to one run over six innings in a 4-1 triumph.
On Monday, Gomez was pounded for eight runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 frames of a 9-3 loss at the Minnesota Twins.
Gomez, who like Tomlin will be starting for the 11th time in his career, already is 0-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two outings against the Royals. He yielded just two runs in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Kauffman Stadium on Aug. 17, then again gave up two runs in 5 2/3 frames just 11 days later but did not figure in the decision of the Indians' 4-3 triumph.
Betemit, who drove in all three of Kansas City's runs on Friday with a sacrifice fly and two-run homer, has recorded two hits - both home runs - in six at-bats against Gomez.
The 22-year-old has made five starts at home in 2010, going 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA.
Unlike last season, when he captured the Cy Young Award, Zack Greinke has struggled this year but has pitched well against the Indians. In three outings, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.15 ERA, allowing seven earned runs in 20 innings.
Since making his major league debut in 2004, Greinke has posted an 8-8 record and 3.42 ERA in 26 games - five relief appearances - vs. Cleveland. The 26-year-old has had trouble with Asdrubal Cabrera, who is 13-for-28 (.464), and Travis Hafner, who has hit .366 (15-for-41) with a home run and four RBIs.
Greinke has posted a 3.60 ERA in 15 road starts this year but has won just two of 10 decisions.
The Royals have lost 25 of their last 33 games away from home.