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Tuesday, Jun. 27 8:05pm ET
Thome, Indians overpower Royals | |||||
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GAME LOG
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jim Thome knows that hitting is a streaky practice. Right now he's happy to be on a good roll. Thome had the 13th multihomer game of his career, his second this season, as the Cleveland Indians clubbed the Kansas City Royals, 12-1. Chuck Finley struggled through five innings, throwing 111 pitches, but picked up the win to improve to 6-5. It was the first time the Indians reached double figures in runs since May 28, a span of 29 games. Thome homered in the first and the eighth, and went 4-for-4 with four RBI. Richie Sexson also had four RBIs, including a two-run home run in the fourth. "Hitting comes in cycles," Thome said. "You have to take the good with the good and the bad with the bad. They both are going to happen." Kansas City knows about the bad these days. They suffered their fourth straight home loss and 11th in 14 games. The Royals dropped four games below .500, matching a season low. "We've been having a tough time scoring runs," manager Tony Muser said. "We haven't been efficient enough offensively to stay in the ballgame with how our pitching has been. The two ends are widening." The gap between the Royals and the Indians is widening as well. The Indians gained a game on the first-place Chicago White Sox, who lost to the Twins, while the Royals stayed 12 games back, 4½ behind the Indians. "It was nice to see us start to hit the ball," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. "That's a good sign, especially when you see guys start to hit the ball hard, like Thome and Sandy Alomar. I thought some of our guys hit the ball real hard. "For us to get back in the race, we're going to have to play and try to win every day. We have to take it one day at a time and play the best possible game we can play. A 12-1 game helps, but every time you win a game it helps." The game featured the trouble the Royals have had all season. Kansas City has allowed 128 home runs, the most in the majors this season. The Royals also lead the American League with 329 walks -- issuing five Tuesday. The Indians' 121 home runs are third best in the American League and fourth most in the majors. Cleveland has received 302 walks, the third most in the AL. Finley was perplexed by his outing, surprised he only allowed one run. "I burned up way too many pitches," he said. "I really don't know how to sum that up. We won, so that's the best part about it. "I've gone out with less pitches and given up a lot more runs. You try not to walk guys. Just try to throw it around the plate and let your defense help you out." The Indians took the lead in the second when Thome hit his 22nd home run of the season, a 435-foot blast to right-center. Sexson then added a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 3-0. Gregg Zaun cut it to 3-1 in the fifth with a leadoff homer that just cleared the fence in left-center. Sexson got his third RBI in the sixth, driving home David Justice with a sacrifice fly. That marked the end for Suzuki, who was relieved by Brett Laxton. Laxton gave up four earned runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter in just one inning. The Indians got three more in the eighth to take an 11-1 lead on Alomar's two-run home run and an RBI single Omar Vizquel. Thome's second homer in the ninth closed the scoring. Game notesThome has hit 17 of his 23 home runs with the bases empty. ... Finley improved his career mark to 15-10 against the Royals, including 9-4 in Kansas City. ... Rey Sanchez played in his 50th consecutive game without an error, two shy of the club record for a shortstop, set by Greg Gagne in 1993. ... Kenny Lofton was hit below the right knee by a pitch with one out in the seventh. Lofton, who has a bruised shin, was taken to the hospital for precautionary X-rays. Roberto Alomar left the game with a sore left ankle. ... The Royals have allowed 43 percent of their runs on home runs (198 of 462). | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Cleveland Clubhouse Kansas City Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 6 Boston 3
Cleveland 12
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