Indians fall to red-hot Royals

Associated Press

SURPRISE, ARIZ.

The Kansas City Royals wrapped up their most successful spring training in team history with one final win.

Alex Gordon, Jeff Francoeur, Elliot Johnson and Roman Hernandez homered as the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-1, on Friday.

The Royals finished 25-7-2, the best exhibition record in the majors.

Jeremy Guthrie, who will be the Royals’ No. 3 starter, allowed one run and six hits in four innings. He pitched out of trouble in the second and third innings by inducing Jason Kipnis and Lou Marson to ground into double plays.

Ubaldo Jimenez, who had not allowed a home run in his first 251/3 innings this spring, yielded a home run to Gordon on his second pitch. It was Gordon’s team-leading eighth home run and he finished with a .438 batting average.

Francoeur and Johnson homered in the fifth.

“I only gave up three hits — three home runs,” Jimenez said. “Two of them they were bad pitches, but the ball flies here. If I let it a little bit up, then it’s a home run here.”

Jimenez won 19 games in 2010 and 15 in 2009 for the Colorado Rockies, but has a 13-21 record with a 5.32 ERA in 42 starts with the Indians.

The Indians acquired Jimenez in a trade on July 31, 2011, and he acknowledged it has been a frustrating two seasons.

“I’m a human being,” Jimenez said. “Especially coming to a team that traded for you because and they wanted you to help them. I’m not able to do anything for them. It definitely gets to your mind. When is this going to end? When am I going to start doing what I’m supposed to do?”

Jimenez, who went 9-17 with a 5.40 ERA last season, said he is confident he will have a much better 2013.

“Definitely I am, no doubt,” he said.