Cleveland, OH – Pinch-runner Elliot Johnson scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the ninth inning to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians, 2-1, in the opener of a three-game set at Progressive Field.
Billy Butler had a line drive double to left off Bryan Shaw (0-1), Lorenzo Cain was walked and David Lough reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Matt Albers threw a pitch in the dirt that allowed Johnson to cross the plate.
Greg Holland had a shaky bottom of the ninth. He allowed a Michael Bourn double and a wild pitch that put him on third with one out. Holland escaped the jam by striking out Mike Aviles and getting Jason Kipnis to ground out to secure the victory and collect his 15th save of the year. Aaron Crow (3-2) recorded the last two outs of the eighth to earn the win.
Eric Hosmer had the only RBI for the Royals, who have won five of their last six.
Carlos Santana homered in the sixth for the Indians, which had won four of their previous five games.
Indians starter Carlos Carrasco yielded just one run on four hits while fanning four in 7 1/3 innings. It was his first appearance since a seven-game suspension that took effect on June 9.
"He should be confident the way he threw the ball," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "It was really exciting to see."
James Shields allowed just one run on four hits and four walks with five strikeouts over six frames. He remains winless in his last nine starts, his last win was April 30 against Tampa Bay.
"I didn't have my good stuff but got out of some jams," Shields said.
Santana blasted the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth over the right field wall.
Chris Getz led off the eighth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Shaw replaced Carrasco and recorded an out before surrendering an RBI double to center to Hosmer.
Cleveland had an opportunity in the third with the bases loaded and one out but Shields was able to get Aviles to pop out and Kipnis was caught looking to end the threat.
The Royals' best chance was with runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth, but Salvador Perez struck out swinging.
Game Notes
The Indians' Nick Swisher will miss the series with a sore left shoulder ... Kipnis had 10-game hitting streak broken ... Kipnis and Corey Kluber were named co-AL Players of the Week for June 10-16 ... Kansas City was 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, while Cleveland was 1-for-9.
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