Gutierrez does it all as Tribe drops Royals

The surging Indians won for the ninth time in 12 games.

Associated Press

CLEVELAND — Franklin Gutierrez’s confidence is catching up to his natural ability.

Gutierrez hit a three-run homer in a five-run eighth inning and made a diving catch to end the game, as the Cleveland Indians rallied to defeat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Wednesday night.

“I’m thinking positive and it is working,” Gutierrez said. “After the home run, I was thinking, ’What if I finish the game with a great catch?’ Then I did.”

The Indians’ first four hits were homers, including two by Kelly Shoppach, and they won for the ninth time in 12 games. The Royals, meanwhile, have lost 11 of 13.

“Any time you snap one away late like that, it feels good,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said.

Kansas City outfielder Mitch Maier left in the fifth inning after getting hit in the face by a pitch from Indians starter Zach Jackson during a four-run rally that put the Royals ahead 5-3.

Maier immediately crumpled to the ground, and manager Trey Hillman and team trainers came out to check on him. Maier walked off the field and was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which revealed three broken bones below his right eye.

Gutierrez connected off closer Joakim Soria (1-3) to ruin a fine performance by Kansas City starter Gil Meche, giving the win to Juan Rincon (3-3) after he worked a scoreless eighth.

Jensen Lewis pitched the ninth for his fourth save. He retired three straight, getting the final out when Gutierrez raced toward the right-field line and made a diving catch of a fly ball hit by Alex Gordon.

“I’ve made some adjustments and am playing with more confidence,” said Gutierrez, who has hit .346 with three homers and 10 RBIs over his last 15 games to lift his average to .234.

“This game felt good. It gives me more positive thinking.”

A year ago, Gutierrez hit .266 with 13 homers in only 271 at-bats to earn the starting job in right field down the stretch as Cleveland won the AL Central.

Meche retired the final 17 batters he faced and gave up only two hits over seven innings. The right-hander struck out nine.

Hillman said lifting Meche with a 5-3 lead was the right decision.

“He’s over 100 pitches,” Hillman said. “It’s late in the season. He’s not going to have any extra rest. We’re already falling apart with our rotation. I don’t understand why there would be second guessing. If people want to second guess, that’s fine.

“I could have sent him back out for another one, but we just lost two guys in our rotation.”

Meche yielded a two-run homer to Jhonny Peralta, his 20th, in the first inning. Shoppach homered to open the Indians’ second for a 3-1 lead, then Meche pitched perfect ball.

Cardinals 11, Pirates 2

ST. LOUIS — Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue hit two-run home runs and Todd Wellemeyer beat the Pirates for the third time this season.

Skip Schumaker had three hits and Wellemeyer (11-4) won his fourth straight decision and added an RBI single for St. Louis, which won for only the fourth time in its last 12 games at home.

The Cardinals are an NL-best 37-29 on the road and 34-29 at home after splitting a two-game series with the Pirates.