Indians score seven runs in first inning, beat KC

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

Michael Brantley had one hit in 17 at-bats during Cleveland’s season-opening homestand. He had two of ’em in the first inning alone Friday.

The Indians’ anemic offense broke loose against Luke Hochevar and the Royals. Cleveland pounded out seven runs in the opening frame, and Asdrubal Cabrera tacked on a ninth-inning homer for good measure in an 8-3 victory that spoiled Kansas City’s home opener.

“That’s the way the game goes,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “Water usually goes to the level it’s supposed to be. I knew those guys would bat better, and the first inning was a great example of that.”

Shin-Soo Choo and Jason Kipnis each drove in a pair as the Indians scored more times in the opening inning than they had in any of their first five games.

The seven runs allowed by Hochevar (1-1) in the first inning matched the number of runs that Kansas City starters had allowed during a six-game road trip to begin the season.

“You couldn’t ask for a better way to start off,” Kipnis said.

Derek Lowe (2-0) gave up three runs and 11 hits in 62/3 innings for Cleveland. The 38-year-old routinely worked out of trouble, getting help from a pair of double plays that kept Kansas City from mounting much of a comeback.

“When you’re pitching on the road in the other team’s home opener, there’s going to be a lot of buzz,” Lowe said. “To sort of silence them right away, you can’t ask for much more.”

Hochevar’s miserable start got a whole lot worse in the fourth inning, when he took a liner off his left ankle hit by Carlos Santana.

The right-hander went down in a heap as the ball caromed to first base for the final out of the inning. Team officials rushed out to tend to Hochevar, who put almost no weight on his ankle while being helped to the dugout by manager Ned Yost and trainer Nick Kenney.

The team said that Hochevar had a “left medial ankle contusion” — or, a really bad bruise. X-rays taken at the ballpark came back negative and he is day to day.

“When it hit him, I was real nervous. It got him solid,” Yost said. “I had some fears there it might have fractured his leg.”