Rookie right-hander Jake Odorizzi makes his major-league debut for the Kansas City Royals today when they host the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a three-game weekend series at Kauffman Stadium.
A 22-year-old from Beese, Ill., Odorizzi signed with the Royals after they made him the 32nd overall pick of the 2008 draft out of Highland High School.
He debuted in the minors as an 18-year-old and climbed through the ranks, winning 19-of-37 decisions before this season.
In 2012, he's split 26 appearances between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha, going a combined 15-5 with a 3.03 earned run average while walking 50 batters and striking out 135 in 145 1/3 innings.
Today's start will be the 100th of his professional career.
On Saturday, Billy Butler went 3-for-4 with two doubles and knocked in a run to lead the Royals to a 5-3 win.
Irving Falu had two hits and an RBI, and Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer and Brayan Pena each drove in a run for the Royals, who have won four straight.
Will Smith (6-8) gave up two runs on eight hits and struck out five over seven innings to earn the win.
Cord Phelps clubbed a two-run homer and Carlos Santana had two hits and scored a run for the Indians, losers in four of their last five.
Ubaldo Jimenez (9-17) surrendered five runs on seven hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings to drop his sixth straight decision over an eight-start span.
"I wasn't able to find the strike zone. I started falling behind in the count and I got a couple of walks," Jimenez said. "That's the number-one thing. Falling behind in the count. I have to go right down the middle of the plate and they take advantage."
The Royals won seven of the first 12 games between the teams in 2012, but were swept in a three-game set the last time they faced the Indians - in Kansas City - from July 31-Aug. 2. Cleveland won last year's series, 12-6.
For the Indians, 28-year-old lefty David Huff starts for the 50th time at the big-league level.
A supplemental draft pick of the Indians in 2006, Huff debuted with 11 wins in 23 starts in 2009 but has won just five times in 29 appearances since.
He slumped to 2-11 in 2010 and was 2-6 last season before spending the initial portion of 2012 at Double-A and Triple-A, where he combined to go 7-6 in 25 appearances with a 4.83 ERA in 138 innings.
He returned to the majors earlier this month and has made three appearances, winning once and getting a pair of no-decisions while allowing a combined 10 hits and three runs with 11 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
He's 2-2 in four lifetime starts against Kansas City.
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