KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luis Mendoza pitched into the eighth inning, Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson stroked two hits each and drove in a run and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Wednesday night.
The Royals, who have the worst record in the American League (43-60), won consecutive games for the first time since June 27-29.
Mendoza (5-7) limited the Indians to two runs and four hits, only one after the fourth inning, and went 7 1-3 innings to pick up the victory. Mendoza, who was 1-3 in his four previous starts, did not throw more than 11 pitches in an inning except for the third when he threw 25.
The Royals jumped to a 4-0 lead after two innings.
Alcides Escobar walked with one out and stopped at second on Cain’s single. On a double steal, catcher Carlos Santana threw the ball into left field, allowing Escobar to score and Cain to take third. Cain, who is hitting .313 since coming off the disabled list, wound up scoring on a groundout by Billy Butler.
In the second inning, Chris Getz walked, stole second and scored on Dyson’s single to center. Dyson stole second and scored on Alex Gordon’s major league-leading 37th double.
Santana homered in the fourth for the first Indians run. Jose Mijares replaced Mendoza with one out in the eighth after a double by Jack Hannahan, Mijares hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch and gave up a run-producing single to Asdrubal Cabrera.
Greg Holland, who replaced Jonathan Broxton as the closer after he was traded Tuesday to Cincinnati, worked a spotless ninth for his first save since Sept. 25.
Indians rookie right-hander Zach McAllister (4-3) gave up five runs, five hits and two walks in six innings. The Royals stole four bases off McAllister, who has allowed nine stolen bases without a runner being caught in his 11 starts.