Royals Vs. Indians: Alcides Escobar Single Scores Walk-Off Win In 11th

Alcides Escobar singled home Eric Hosmer in the bottom of the 11th as the Royals earned a sweep of the Indians with a 7-6 win in Kansas City on Thursday night.

The Royals scored six runs in the bottom of the first and didn't score against until the 11th. Bruce Chen gave up four earned runs over 2 2/3 innings in the start as the Indians came back. Cleveland scored two in the fifth to tie the game at six.

Hosmer went 2-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored, while Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain each went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Escobar went 2-for-6.

MLB Trade Deadline: Royals Earn 'C-' Grade For Jonathan Broxton Deal From Jim Bowden

The Kansas City Royals have a few parts to move at the MLB trade deadline that came and went yesterday but many of them remain on the team. Only closer Jonathan Broxton was moved, leaving behind other names like Jose Mijares who had also served interest. It is perhaps for that reason that Jim Bowden of ESPN gave the Royals at 'C-' grade for their moves at the deadline.

The Royals picked up Juan Carlos Sulbaran, a AA starter, and Donnie Joseph, a AAA reliever, from the Reds for Broxton in a move that was widely praised. However Bowden must not think so.

He writes, "The Royals knew they weren't going to re-sign Broxton or offer him salary arbitration at season's end. So with no draft pick compensation ahead, they did the right thing to trade him for a couple minor-league arms. Sulbaran is a former high school teammate of Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter. Joseph, 24, was the Reds' third pick in the 2009 draft and should help their bullpen depth."

Royals Vs. Indians: Thursday Game Preview, TV Info And More

The Royals are poised to pull of a rare feat this season - a sweep at home - of the struggling Cleveland Indians, and will face a brand new starter in Triple-A call-up Corey Kluber. Meanwhile, Bruce Chen will look to put a terrible July behind him. After a strong season, Chen went 0-3 in six starts in the month of July with a 8.31 ERA and gave up 10 home runs. Chen hasn't won a game since June 26.

Date / Time: Thursday, August 2, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: Fox Sports KC

Radio: KCSP 610

Probable Starters: Corey Kluber (0-0) vs. Bruce Chen (7-9)

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toLet's Go Tribe and SB Nation Cleveland for more on the Indians. Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish are your sources for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

What Exactly Are The Royals Doing With Jeremy Jeffress?

The Kansas City Royals have filled Jonathan Broxton's role in the bullpen with another live arm the team eventually hopes will develop with former Brewers prospect Jeremy Jeffress. As part of the haul in the trade of Zach Greinke to Milwaukee, Jeffress has touched down for just 26 innings in the last three seasons with the Brewers and Royals, but now is his chance to remain a permanent fixture?

But what exactly does Jeffresss offer? Control issues so far. Last season, Jeffress walked 11 batters in 15 innings before being sent back to AAA Omaha where his WHIP of 1.875 showed it wasn't just about the jump to the Major Leagues. Instead, Jeffress was battling command all season long.

There is a reason, however, that Jeffress was the Brewers first round choice in 2006 right out of high school with an electric arm that can reach 102 on the radar gun. His first three years in the minors, he was exclusively a starter, but the Brewers decided to turn him into a force out of the pen in 2010. In 2011, The Royals turned him back into a starter -- part-time, at least -- before placing him back in the bullpen in 2012 with Omaha and now with KC.

So far, Jeffress is 5-4 with a 4.97 ERA in AAA Omaha in 37 appearances. It will be interesting to see if Jeffress ever finds some consistency when his treatment becomes consistent. If the team would give him a chance to stick at one level in one role for an entire year and develop from that base, perhaps they'll find him learning to develop that pure ability with proper coaching and a secure structure.

Royals Call Up Relief Pitcher Jeremy Jeffress From Omaha

The Kansas City Royals made a roster move Wednesday as they recalled right-hander Jeremy Jeffress from Triple-A Omaha. Jeffress gets called up to the Major Leagues to join the bullpen and take the place for the recently traded Jonathan Broxton who was shipped off to the Cincinnati Reds.

At Triple-A Omaha, Jeffress had a 5-4 record with a 4.97 ERA in 37 relief appearances, and he had 61 strikeouts with 25 walks in 58 innings. This season he did make two appearances for the Royals back in April, but he only pitched two innings and allowed four hits in that time.

Jeffress originally joined the Royals back in 2010 as he was one of the four players involved in the Zack Greinke trade.

Royals Vs. Indians Final Score: Kansas City Defeat Cleveland Again, 5-2

The Kansas City Royals won their second straight game over the Cleveland Indians as they won 5-2 on Wednesday night, and this was the first time that the Royals won consecutive games since they won four in a row back in late June. Four of Kansas City's five runs were scored in the first two innings. Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson led the Royals as each had two hits, drove in a run and scored a run.

Luis Mendoza had one of his better starts this season as he pitched 7.1 innings while allowing only four hits and gave up two runs for his fifth win of the season. Mendoza did give up a solo home run to Carlos Santana and was pulled after he allowed a double to Jack Hannahan in favor of Jose Mijares. Mijares who gave up a hit to Asdrubal Cabrera which scored a run and credited to Mendoza.

In the ninth inning Greg Holland came into close the game and he pitched a perfect inning to win his first save of the season.

Royals Vs. Indians: Wednesday Night Lineup

The Kansas City Royals look to win their second straight game on Wednesday night, as they continue a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians.

Both managers have announced the starting lineups for Wednesday night's contest, and they are as follows:

Cleveland Indians

LF Shin-Soo Choo
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
2B Jason Kipnis
CF Michael Brantley
C Carlos Santana
DH Jose Lopez
LF Johnny Damon
1B Casey Kotchman
3B Jack Hannahan

SP Zach McAllister

Kansas City Royals

LF Alex Gordon
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Lorenzo Cain
DH Billy Butler
3B Mike Moustakas
C Salvador Perez
1B Eric Hosmer
2B Chris Getz
CF Jarrod Dyson

SP Luis Mendoza

Ned Yost's lineup is identical to the one that knocked Cleveland starter Derek Lowe around on Tuesday, when the Royals knocked out eight runs on 14 hits en route to an 8-3 win. Luis Mendoza will hope for similar run support for Kansas City's offense on Wednesday, as he looks for his fifth win of the season.

For more on the Royals, head over to Royals Review.

Royals Tag Greg Holland As New Closer After Jonathan Broxton Trade

After Joakim Soria first went down (for the second time) earlier this season with the need to undergo Tommy John surgery, the Kansas City Royals had a few options. They had recently signed former closer Jonathan Broxton to a one-year agreement to help bolster the pen, and they also had young options like Greg Holland already in-house. Broxton eventually earned the spot for the bulk of the season, but now Holland is the man for Royals manager Ned Yost.

"We'll go with Greg Holland right now," Yost said. "I think that he's been very solid down there, and we'll give him an opportunity to close games out. "He was pretty obvious for me right now. He's been pretty consistent, and we feel that his stuff is all the way back to where it was last year when he was really successful."

Holland says he was able to learn a lot from Broxton and the incredible season he was having with a 2.27 ERA and 23 saves for KC.

"Just the way he carried himself, mainly. You didn't know if he had bases loaded or no one out. He saved more than he blew, but when he blew one he was ready the next day just being able to be even-keeled and just having that same mindset day in and day out," Holland said.

Holland is 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA so far this season for the Royals in 41 appearances.

Royals Vs. Indians: Wednesday Game Preview, TV Info And More

The Royals will continue the post-Broxton era in the bullpen, after sending their closer (and his expiring contract) to the Reds for a pair of minor league arms on Tuesday. Kansas City looks to put back-to-back wins together over the Indians with the help of Luis Mendoza, who's been shaky throughout the season. Mendoza went only five-plus innings in his last start, and allowed four runs on nine hits in a Royals loss. Mendoza had three walks and only one strikeout in the game.

Date / Time: Wednesday, August 1, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: Fox Sports KC

Radio: KCSP 610

Probable Starters: Zach McAllister (4-2) vs. Luis Mendoza (4-7)

Read more on the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over to Let's Go Tribe and SB Nation Cleveland for more on the Indians. Baseball Nation andMLB Daily Dish are your sources for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Royals Vs. Indians: Offense Mashes 14 Hits In 8-3 Win

Luke Hochevar allowed three earned runs over six innings and the offense backed him up in an 8-3 win over the Indians on Tuesday.

The Royals opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI-single from Lorenzo Cain. Both teams scored two runs in each frame of the second, and Cleveland tied the game at three heading to the bottom of the third. But the Royals scored five in the bottom of the third to pull away for the win.

In the inning, Billy Butler scored on a balk, Chris Getz doubled home two runs, Alex Gordon doubled home another and a triple from Alcides Escobar scored the fifth run.

Gordon went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Escobar went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Royals Vs. Indians: Game Time, TV Info And More

The Kansas City Royals begin a three-game midweek series with Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.