Billy Butler (L) gives a forearm bash to Mike Moustakas after his three-run homer in the fourth (photo/MLB)

Billy Butler (L) gives a forearm bash to Mike Moustakas after his three-run homer in the fourth (photo/MLB)

Mike Moustakas hit a three-run homer, during a four-run fourth inning putting the Royals ahead and on their way to an 8-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and improves ace James Shields’ record to 2-2. Eric Hosmer had four hits, including an RBI double in the seventh.

The Royals finally got to struggling Indians starter Danny Salazar, who drops to 0-3. He didn’t allow a hit until the fourth, but Hosmer led off with a single, the first of five hits in the inning. Billy Butler followed with another single before Salazar retired the next two hitters. With two outs, Moustakas drove a 1-1 pitch into the Royals’ bullpen in right field. The blast broke a 2 for 15 slump. Alcides Escobar followed with another single, stole second and went to third on catcher Yan Gomes’ throwing error. Jarrod Dyson’s bunt hit made it 4-1.

Salazar didn’t get through the fifth. Hosmer doubled with one out and scored on Butler’s double. Hosmer was 4 for 5, adding a seventh-inning double and a single in the ninth.

Shields allowed an unearned run in the second, but held the Indians in check until the sixth.