Affeldt baffles Indians in 5-1 victory

He's the first Kansas City starter to win since September.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- At last, a Kansas City Royals starting pitcher has something to show for a strong effort.
Jeremy Affeldt picked up the first victory by a Kansas City starter this season as the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 on Sunday.
Affeldt, who held the Indians to four hits and one run in 51/3 innings, became the first Royals starter to earn a win since J.P. Howell on Sept. 26. Kansas City starters were 0-9 with a 6.25 ERA this season before Sunday.
"It was bound to happen one of these days," Affeldt said. "I don't think any of the starters cared if we get a victory or not, we just want to go home feeling like a winner. Today is a product of playing good defense, we had a lead early, we held the lead and I just happened to be on the winning end."
Another drought ends
Affeldt picked up his first victory as a starter since July 23, 2003. He spent all of last season in the bullpen and most of 2004.
"I've had a lot of losses since then," Affeldt said. "It's about time I turned it around and got a win out of it."
Affeldt (1-2) threw 94 pitches, walked two and struck out a season-high six.
In his previous start, Affeldt held the Chicago White Sox to four hits and three unearned runs, in six innings, but was charged with the loss.
"He pitched as well today as he did in Chicago. It's a big lift for us," manager Buddy Bell said. "Those last two teams he's faced are not slouches. His tempo was outstanding. I like his tempo. Last year his tempo was slow."
Affeldt said, "I'm working a little bit quicker. I worked pretty quick the first two games, but when you throw a lot of balls it seems you work slower. I changed that and I'm throwing more strikes."
Two-game winning streak
Kansas City beat Cleveland 11-5 Saturday night to snap an 11-game losing streak.
"It's a streak for us," Tony Graffanino said of the Royals' back-to-back victories. "We'll take it right now after losing all those ballgames. We feel like a winning ballclub again."
Ronnie Belliard homered with one out in the second inning for the Indians. Bell said Affeldt has been bothered in the past by giving up an early score. "It seemed like he got better after that today," the manager said.
John Buck doubled in a run and Esteban German singled home Angel Berroa, who went 4-for-4, as the Royals took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Emil Brown scored the first run of the inning on Belliard's throwing error.
"Affeldt was outstanding," said Berroa, who went 8-for-12 in the series to raise his average to .317. "He was unbelievable."
Berroa and Tony Graffanino had back-to-back doubles in the fourth to make it 4-1. Graffanino, who had three hits, singled home Brown in the eighth.
Johnson loses
Indians right-hander Jason Johnson (2-1) allowed four runs and nine hits with one walk in six innings. Johnson lost for only the second time in seven decisions against the Royals, covering 13 career starts.
"I didn't feel real good pretty much the whole game," Johnson said. "All my pitches were up. A sinker doesn't do much when it is up. I just tried to battle through it. If I'm not in there in the seventh inning, I didn't do my job."
Indians manager Eric Wedge said Johnson "gave us every chance to win the ballgame. A couple of ground balls found holes, but he bowed his neck and kept us in he game. We hit the ball hard, but their defense was great today."
The bottom four of the Royals' lineup -- Berroa, Graffanino, German and Buck -- had nine hits, four RBIs and scored three runs.
Elmer Dessens replaced Affeldt with one out in the sixth and allowed just two singles in 21/3 scoreless innings.