Carlos Santana points skyward after going deep against Kansas City (photo/MLB)
Cleveland Indians slugger Carlos Santana did something no other visiting player has ever done against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium…hit five home runs in a series. Santana went deep twice more on Sunday as the Royals got blown out 10-3, unable to sweep the Indians. K.C. still took three out of four to stay five back of Detroit and a game and a half ahead of Cleveland.
Santana went 9 for 14 with eight RBIs in the four games against the Royals. There wasn’t a player who wasn’t impressed by Santana’s performance. Former Royal and current teammate Mike Aviles said, “It was pretty impressive to watch. Everybody knows how big he can be. He was able to drive some balls out of the park consistently from both sides.”
The loss also prevented the Royals from sweeping a four-game series at home against the Tribe for the first time since they’ve started playing against each other. Almost overlooked in the weekend was the resurgence of Billy Butler who also put on a show.
Billy Butler had three hits on Sunday to go along with his game winning homers back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday nights. Butler was 6-for-12 with five RBIs in the series. Butler has been filling in at first base for injured Eric Hosmer, who is expected back in the lineup on Tuesday night.
Carlos Santana did something that the Royals had not seen in the 46 years of their existence.
Santana became the first opposing player to blast five home runs in a series against them. The last two homers came on Sunday as he powered the Cleveland Indians to a 10-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
That prevented the Royals from accomplishing a first of their own. A victory would have given them their first four-game sweep against the Indians in Kansas City since the rivalry began in 1969.
