Indians lose to Kansas City

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Sean O’Sullivan earned his first win as a starter for the Kansas City Royals and Joakim Soria converted his 33rd straight save in a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.

O’Sullivan (3-6) gave up two runs and six hits over six-plus innings to beat Mitch Talbot (9-13). The right-hander left with a 3-0 lead and two on in the seventh. Philip Humber allowed both Indians to score, but stranded runners at second and third to end the inning.

Robinson Tejeda pitched the eighth and Soria worked a perfect ninth for his 41st save in 43 chances this season. The All-Star reliever has tossed 212/3 consecutive scoreless innings and saved 65 percent of Kansas City’s 63 wins. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that’s second all-time to Bryan Harvey, who saved 70.3 percent (45 of 64) of the wins for the 1993 Florida Marlins.

Mike Aviles and Kila Ka’aihue each hit a solo homer for the Royals, who moved 11/2 games ahead of last-place Cleveland in the AL Central. The Indians have lost five in a row to drop behind Kansas City, which is 7-13 in September.

Aviles hit a one-out homer and Yuniesky Betancourt added an RBI grounder in the first.

Betancourt singled, went to third on a double by Alex Gordon and scored on a groundout by Lucas May in the third to make it 3-0.

Trevor Crowe, a late replacement for Michael Brantley, had three hits for Cleveland. Brantley was scratched with a tight left hamstring.

O’Sullivan bounced back from a 6-4 home loss to the Indians on Saturday in which he gave up a grand slam to Matt LaPorta and five runs over four innings.