All-Star Michael Wacha struck out 10 over eight innings and Carter Jensen hit a two-run homer in the ninth, sending the red-hot Kansas City Royals to a 3-0 victory over the host Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.
Wacha (8-8) allowed four singles and did not issue a walk in tying his longest start of the season. He only permitted one runner to get past first base over 103 pitches. The right-hander powered Kansas City to its 11th win in 12 games since Aug. 16.
Steven Cruz loaded the bases in the ninth before earning his sixth save in seven opportunities.
The Royals scored their first run in the fifth when Bobby Witt Jr. led off with a double and came home on Salvador Perez’s groundout to shortstop.
The Guardians had their seven-game winning streak snapped, but remain in the third and final American League wild-card position with 27 contests remaining. They fell three games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (5-14) tied Shane Baz of the Baltimore Orioles for the major league lead in losses, giving up one run on seven hits in six innings for his career-high 17th quality start. The right-hander struck out five, walked two and hit a batter.
Cruz gave up singles to Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell, and hit Travis Bazzana with a pitch with two outs to send the potential winning run to the plate for the Guardians. Rookie Angel Genao pinch-hit, but hit a weak grounder back to the mound to end the game.
Jensen went deep against Craig Yoho in the ninth, plating Tyler Tolbert.
Witt has reached base safely in 22 of 23 games since returning from the injured list on Aug. 4.
The Royals had loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but Bibee retired Nick Loftin on a short fly to center to keep the game scoreless.
Jac Caglianone had two hits in the first three innings after banging out five Thursday at the Toronto Blue Jays.
–Field Level Media
