Sizemore’s blast leads Tribe

CLEVELAND (AP) — Grady Sizemore hit a three-run homer to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Sizemore connected on the first pitch he saw from reliever Leo Nunez for his 28th homer that gave Cleveland a 7-3 lead in the sixth inning. The All-Star center fielder had gone 0-for-3 to extend his slump to 10-for-61 (.164) before hitting his first homer since July 31.

Nunez came on after starter Luke Hochevar (6-12) left with a team trainer as he was warming up for the sixth. The Royals listed the right-hander as day-to-day with tightness in his right ribcage.

Hochevar allowed seven hits and four runs, including solo homers to Shin-Soo Choo and Ryan Garko. The first overall pick in the 2006 draft has lost five straight decisions and is 1-7 in nine starts since July 1.

Anthony Reyes (2-1) gave up two runs and six hits over five innings in his third start for Cleveland. The right-hander was acquired July 26 in a trade with St. Louis.

The Indians got 13 hits and won for the eighth time in 11 games. They have had 10 or more hits seven times in that span.

Jose Guillen had two hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who fell to 2-10 in their last 12 games. Kansas City has dropped six of seven on a nine-game trip that ends Thursday.

Reyes walked Mike Aviles to open the game. He moved up on a groundout and scored on David DeJesus’ double to right-center.

Choo tied it with his fifth homer with one out in the second. Later in the inning, Kelly Shoppach added an RBI double and scored on a single by Asdrubal Cabrera to make it 3-1.

Shoppach snapped out of a 3-for-31 slump with the double, but later struck out twice. He has struck out 20 times in his last 37 at-bats.

Garko opened the fourth by hitting his 10th homer, just over the wall in left.

Jason Smith’s one-out RBI single off Brendan Donnelly got the Royals within 4-3 in the sixth. Miguel Olivo was thrown out trying to go from first to third on the play. Aviles followed with a single, but Donnelly got DeJesus on a called third strike with the bases loaded to end the rally.

Sizemore reached on an infield single in the eighth and scored on Franklin Gutierrez’s double. Gutierrez advanced on a wild pitch and throwing error by catcher Olivo on the same play.

Notes

The Royals signed RHP Kip Wells and optioned LHP Josh Newman to Triple-A Omaha. Wells gave up two walks, three hits and two runs in 11‚Ñ3 innings. ... Indians C Victor Martinez went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk for Triple-A Buffalo in a rehab assignment. Martinez caught for the first time since having right elbow surgery June 13. ... Royals 3B Alex Gordon, in a 4-for-21 slump, didn’t play. Manager Trey Hillman said Gordon had a stiff back and hopes to be in the lineup Wednesday. ... The Royals made two errors and have nine in seven games. ... Indians OF Ben Francisco, hitting .362 (25-for-69) in his last 17 games, got a day off.