Indians defeat Royals for sixth straight win
Rookie Oscar Mercado recorded his first career five-hit performance as the host Cleveland Indians posted a 10-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday to extend their winning streak to a season high-tying six games.
Mercado, who had two RBIs and scored twice, collected a double and four singles to become the 12th Indians rookie since 1913 to record at least five hits in a game.
Tyler Naquin belted a two-run homer and Francisco Lindor had three hits and three runs scored for Cleveland, which also won six in a row from June 30-July 7.
Whit Merrifield slapped a three-run triple and Hunter Dozier had an RBI double for Kansas City, which saw its season-high four-game winning streak come to a halt.
After Dozier's RBI double gave the Royals a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, the Indians answered with four runs in a span of 16 pitches in their half of the inning.
Jake Bauers singled to lead off the third before Naquin launched 2-2 curveball from Mike Montgomery (0-1) off the top of the right-field foul pole to stake Cleveland to a 3-2 lead. The homer was the 28-year-old Naquin's ninth of the season and fourth against Kansas City this season.
The Indians weren't done in the inning as Lindor and Mercado ripped back-to-back doubles before Jose Ramirez's groundout plated the rookie to push the advantage to 5-2.
Roberto Perez added a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning for the Indians, who saw the Royals load the bases with two outs in the sixth to chase Shane Bieber (9-3). Merrifield greeted reliever Nick Goody with a bases-clearing triple to trim the lead to 6-5.
Cleveland rebounded as Mercado slapped an RBI single to left field in the sixth inning before scoring three more runs in the eighth. Greg Allen was hit by a pitch to draw a bases-loaded walk, Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI single and Jason Kipnis' sacrifice fly plated Carlos Santana.
Bieber picked up the win and improved to 3-0 in four career starts versus Kansas City despite allowing five runs on seven hits with four walks in 5 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
