KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Indians own something deep inside the Royals. At least for 2021.
There’s no mystery involved. It’s just the laws of baseball.
The Indians completed a three-game sweep of Kansas City on Thursday night with a 4-2 win at Kauffman Stadium. They completed the sweep — and a franchise record 11th straight win over the Royals — despite Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes going a combined 0-for-23 in the series.
Ramirez and Reyes, the No. 3 and 4 hitters, have combined for 55 homers and 148 RBI this season. In this series, they struck out 12 times, reaching base just four times on walks.
DeMarlo Hale, the Indians’ acting manager, addressed that situation after Wednesday’s win in 11 innings.
“You can’t depend on those guys every game,” he said. “No doubt in the middle of the order they’re a threat in their own sense because of the home run power, but these other guys are playing the game and contributing and doing what it takes to help the team win.”
Thursday night “these other guys” included Triston McKenzie, Yu Chang and Owen Miller.
McKenzie (4-5, 4.62) was especially important. After a brief stay on the injured list to give his right shoulder a rest, McKenzie allowed one run on two hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one. In his last three starts, McKenzie is 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA (two runs in 21 innings). He’s struck out 25, walked two and allowed five hits. In a word, he has been dominant.
In those last three starts, he’s retired 63 of the 71 batters he’s faced. How has McKenzie turned his season around? It starts with throwing strikes.
McKenzie walked 45 batters in his first 63 1/3 innings through July 31. Over his last five starts, he’s walked two of the 120 batters he’s faced.
“The one thing you realize is that he went down (to Class AAA Columbus) he worked on his craft,” said Hale. “He made adjustments and upon his return you see the results. Those adjustments have been really, really positive. . .He’s just really starting to grow into a major league pitcher.”
McKenzie, in four appearances against the Royals this season, is 2-0 with 0.83 ERA. He’s held them to two runs in 21 2/3 innings, while striking out 25. The Royals are hitting .099 (7-for-71) against him this season.
“I feel like the game of baseball, especially at the Major League level, it tells you what you need to do to be successful,” said McKenzie. “You go out there and you give up hits on fastballs down the middle, the game’s telling you like you probably shouldn’t throw it there. I feel like the struggles I had early on allowed me to be the pitcher I’ve been for the last couple of starts and hopefully I just keep improving.”
McKenzie threw only 76 pitches by design. The Indians are expected to monitor his pitch count for the rest of the season.
Miller, in his fourth tour with the Indians this season, put them in front to stay with a three-run homer off lefty Mike Minor (8-12, 5.20) in the fifth. Miller’s fourth homer of the season, all of them coming in his last 23 games, gave the Indians a 3-1 lead.
Chang, who drove in two key runs in Wednesday’s win, added two more hits and an RBI Thursday. He’s hitting .368 (14-for-38) with 10 extra-base hits and 10 RBI in 12 games since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on Aug. 13.
“It’s a great feeling to help the team win tonight,” said Miller. “You’ve seen it the last couple nights, some of us young guys have bene putting together some good at-bats and coming up in big situations. So yeah, it’s just really cool to see guys contributing and stuff and helping out in these close games and coming up big. I was just glad that I could put a good swing on the ball tonight.”
The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the second with an assist from McKenzie. Edward Olivares was on second with two out following a walk and a ground out when McKenzie balked him to third. Hunter Dozier brought him home with a single to center. Olivares probably would have scored without the balk, but 90 feet is a lot easier to cover than 180.
Minor carried the 1-0 lead into the fifth, but then things started to happen.
Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera threw away Harold Ramirez’s routine grounder to start the inning as Ramirez went to second. Chang blooped a single into right as Hernandez advanced to third. Miller lined Minor’s 1-0 pitch down the line in left field for a 3-1 lead.
Chang added an insurance run in the eighth with a two-out single to score Jose Ramirez and make it 4-1.
“I feel like the guys are getting more comfortable going out there and having success,” said McKenzie. “I feel like they’re not scared of the big moments and I feel like it shows. Owen comes up tonight and hits a big three-run bomb after we had been trailing for a couple innings. Yesterday, Chang got the big home run and got another big hit today to give us some insurance. I think the guys are just kind of settling in.”
Emmanuel Clase, named AL Reliever of the Month for August, pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 24 chances. Clase’s scoreless inning streak ended at 20 1/3 innings when Carlos Santana doubled and Dozier singled him home.
The ninth potentially could have held more tension if the Indians didn’t challenge Michael Taylor’s infield single following Santana’s leadoff double. Chang fielded the ball, but Clase didn’t cover first. Chang dove to the bag as Taylor arrived and first base umpire Jeremy Riggs called him safe. The Indians challenged and Taylor was called out.
Nick Wittgren and Bryan Shaw paved the way for Clase by holding the Royals scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.
Next: The Indians open a three-game series Friday against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. RHP Cal Quantrill (4-2, 2.93) will starts for the Indians, while Boston starts RHP Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.71) at 7:10 p.m. Bally Sports Great Lakes, WTAM, WMMS and the Indians radio network will carry the game.
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