Royals rout Cleveland 9 - 4

The Royals wasted little time jumping all over Cody Anderson in Cleveland tonight. After Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain collected a one-out single and walk, respectively, Eric Hosmer sent an Anderson fastball to deep left center with little doubt as to where it was going to land when the blast of contact sounded from his bat.

Edinson Volquez quickly got into a jam in the bottom of the first when Kipnis singled to lead off the frame and Michael Brantley stroked a one-out single to put runners at the corners for David Murphy. Murphy sent a fly ball directly to where Lorenzo Cain was shading him. Kipnis tagged on the play, and Cain delivered a perfect strike to Salvador Perez at home, allowing Volquez to escape the frame unscathed.

Already possessing a 3 - 0 lead heading to the top of the second, Omar Infante clubbed a one-out dong shot of his own to put the Royals up four runs before the Cleveland nine had plated a single run.

Facing Carlos Santana to kick off the second, Volquez grooved a 1-2 fastball to Santana, which he sent rocketing over the wall in straightaway center. After the lead-off dong-hanging in the second, Volquez pitched himself into sticky situations in the remainder of the second and third, but when each half-inning had resolved itself, the Racists had just a single run.

The score remained 4 - 1 Kansas City until the fifth, when Eric Hosmer singled in Alcides Escobar, and Kendrys Morales subsequently picked up two more RBIs with a double.

Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez drove in a run apiece in the top of the seventh, running the Royals lead to eight runs at 9 - 1.

As he did early in the game, Volquez let two runners aboard in the bottom of the seventh, this time walking each batter, before Ned Yost decided he had seen enough. Joe Blanton entered in his stead and promptly served up a home run to Cleveland rookie Francisco Lindor.

Fortunately for the Royals, those were the last runs Blanton allowed to cross the plate as he finished out the game.

The Royals now hold an eight-game lead in the American League Central over the second-place Twins, the first time the Royals have held an eight-game lead in their division since the 1980 season. Their 60 - 38 record marks the first time they were 22 games over .500 since they were 18 - 11.