Royals send Smith to hill against Tribe

Lefty Will Smith makes his second career big-league start tonight when the Kansas City Royals return to Progressive Field for the second test of a three-game series with the host Cleveland Indians.

Smith, a seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2008, pitched in their minor-league chain for three seasons before he went to the Royals in a three-player deal in July 2010.

He was 13-9 at Double-A Northwest Arkansas last season and 1-3 at Triple-A Omaha this spring before arriving in the majors for a May 23 start at Yankee Stadium that ended in an 8-3 Kansas City loss.

Smith allowed five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings in the defeat, walking one batter and striking out another as the Royals fell to New York.

The Royals dropped Monday's opener against the Indians when Jose Lopez drove in three runs, Jason Kipnis collected three hits with two RBI in an 8-5 Cleveland victory.

Josh Tomlin (2-2) picked up the win in his return from the 15-day disabled list, allowing four runs on as many hits over five innings. Tomlin had been sidelined with right wrist soreness since May 7.

The Indians avoided a season-high fourth straight loss by notching their fourth consecutive win at home.

Eric Hosmer and Brayan Pena both homered for Kansas City, which has dropped four of its last six.

Nathan Adcock (0-3) absorbed the loss after being tagged for five runs - four earned - on six hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings.

Cleveland sends 27-year-old righty Justin Masterson to the mound in search of a third consecutive gem.

The former second-round pick of the Boston Red Sox gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings of a no-decision against Miami on May 18, then outpitched Justin Verlander over seven innings of a 2-1 defeat of Detroit - allowing a run on five hits in a 2-1 win - six days later.

Masterson won a career-high 12 games with the Indians last season, his second full year with the team since he left Boston as part of a four-player deal in July 2009 that sent Victor Martinez to the Red Sox.

He was 9-8 in 47 appearances with Boston and is 21-33 with Cleveland.

In 15 career meetings with the Royals, he is 4-3 with a blown save and a 3.94 earned run average in 64 innings.

Cleveland has won five of seven from the Royals this season.