The Royals 5-3 win over the Indians Tuesday night, coupled with Detroit’s loss to the White Sox, moves the Royals a half-game ahead of the Tigers for first place in the AL Central. Eric Hosmer’s three run homer gave Jason Vargas a lead to work with as he limited the Indians to just two hits over six innings for the win.
Vargas retired 14 of 15 batters at one point after Michael Brantley’s homer in the first inning that followed a one out walk to Carlos Santana. The 2-0 lead didn’t last long for Cleveland starter Danny Salazar.
Alex Gordon led off with a base hit, and Kendrys Morales was plunked by Salazar. Hosmer drove a 2-0 pitch into the water in left-center, traveling 415 feet for his fourth homer of the year. Hosmer had nine all of last season. Gordon singled home Jarrod Dyson who led off the fifth with a triple for a 4-2 lead.
In the eighth, Kelvin Herrera gave up a homer to to Lonnie Chisenhall in the eighth, ending his streak of 105.1 innings without allowing a long ball. Wade Davis was given a two run cushion as the Royals scored in the eighth to pick up his sixth save of the season.