SB Nation Kansas City - Royals Hold .5 Game Lead Over Indians In AL Central After 7-3 Losshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2010-09-25T07:43:54-05:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14751172010-09-25T07:43:54-05:002010-09-25T07:43:54-05:00Royals Hold .5 Game Lead Over Indians In AL Central After 7-3 Loss
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<p>Cleveland, OH (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/54275/recap?article_id=116176">Sports Network</a>) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31316/jayson-nix">Jayson Nix</a> hit two solo homers to support <span>Josh Tomlin</span>'s first career complete game, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/cleveland-indians">Cleveland Indians</a> halted a five-game losing streak with a 7-3 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/kansas-city-royals">Kansas City Royals</a>.</p>
<p>Nix recorded his second multi-homer game of the season and third of his career, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> evened the season series with Kansas City at eight wins apiece. Tomlin (5-4), a rookie, went the distance for the first time, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while fanning a career-high six. The righty needed 112 pitches.</p>
<p>"Obviously, you play the game to be here," Tomlin said. "To get this opportunity -- I feel very blessed to pitch up here (in the majors) right now."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/113/shin-soo-choo">Shin-Soo Choo</a> finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two walks, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/4340/asdrubal-cabrera">Asdrubal Cabrera</a> also had three hits in the win.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/894/wilson-betemit">Wilson Betemit</a> hit a two-run homer for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a>, who have alternated losses and wins for seven games. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/19835/luke-hochevar">Luke Hochevar</a> (6-6) yielded four runs on eight hits and a walk in five innings to take the loss.</p>
<p>"I didn't hit that stride. It was a battle every inning," Hochevar said. "I never felt like I hit that groove where I start feeling comfortable. Every inning was a grind."</p>
<p>The Indians scored in each of the first three innings to move in front.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31819/trevor-crowe">Trevor Crowe</a> singled leading off the opening frame, and Choo's RBI double two batters later started the scoring. Nix sent a Hochevar offering over the left- field wall with one out in the second for a 2-0 lead, and Travis Hafner's run- scoring single in the third increased the margin to three.</p>
<p>Tomlin started his outing with three no-hit innings, but <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31709/mike-aviles">Mike Aviles</a> led off the fourth with a double and scored on Betemit's sacrifice fly for a 3-1 game.</p>
<p>Cleveland, though, came back in the fifth with Cabrera's one-out single and Choo's second RBI double of the night to restore the three-run lead.</p>
<p>Tomlin, though, finished his outing with three scoreless innings, and the Indians increased their lead to 7-1. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/609/shelley-duncan">Shelley Duncan</a> plated a run with a single in the seventh, and Nix led off the eighth with his second homer of the game. Cabrera capped the inning with an RBI single later in the eighth.</p>
<p>Betemit hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to account for the final margin.</p>
<p>Indians starters have thrown nine complete games this season, four by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/117/fausto-carmona">Fausto Carmona</a>...The Royals went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position, while the Indians went 4-for-11...Betemit's homer was the 4,999th in Kansas City franchise history.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2010/9/25/2321556/royals-hold-5-game-lead-over-indians-in-al-central-after-7-3-lossJoel Thorman