The Indians’ bats started to come around, but it was too little, too late as the Tribe dropped a 9-5 decision to the Royals in the opener of a brief two-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City was already staked to a 6-0 lead in the top of the eighth before the Indians got on the board. With two outs, Asdrubal Cabrera singled to center. Starter Jason Vargas hit Michael Brantley – for the second consecutive at-bat – and Jason Kipnis doubled to the corner of right field, scoring Cabrera and Brantley and sending Vargas to the showers. Vargas would ultimately get the win, giving up three runs, all earned, on six hits.

Tim Collins came in and gave up a single to Carlos Santana, the only batter he faced, scoring Kipnis. Collins gave way to Aaron Crow, who induced Yan Gomes to fly out. But the Indians had cut the deficit in half, 6-3.

But the Tribe gave it right back in the bottom of the eighth, as Nick Hagadone, who had come on to relieve Carlos Carrasco in the seventh, gave up a home run to Alex Gordon. Scott Atchison came in to relieve Hagadone, and gave up a single to Salvador Perez. After getting Lorenzo Cain to ground to third, Atchison gave way to Josh Outman, who served up a gopher ball to Mike Moustakas, widening the Royals’ lead to 9-3. Outman gave up back-to-back walks to Alcides Escobar and Jarrod Dyson before getting Omar Infante to ground into a fielder’s choice and Eric Hosmer to ground out to second.

The Indians tried to get a little magic together in the top of the ninth, as Crow led off by giving up back-to-back singles to Lonnie Chisenhall and Ryan Raburn. David Murphy doubled to deep right field to score Chisenhall, who went 2-for-4 with a run scored a day after a hall of fame day where he hit three homers and drove in nine runs. After Michael Bourn grounded out to Crow, Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Raburn and officially making it a save situation for Crow. Brantley struck out swinging to end the game.

Once again, defensive miscues cost the Indians dearly, giving the Royals extra life in two separate rallies.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Mike Moustakas walked. Alcides Escobar singled to left, sending Moustakas to second. Jarrod Dyson tapped a chopper to second baseman Jason Kipnis, who fired to Asdrubal Cabrera, who was thinking inning-ending double play but couldn’t field the ball cleanly. His error loaded the bases.

Infante singled to score Moustakas, and Hosmer grounded out to first to score Escobar. With two outs, Billy Butler singled down the right field line to score Dyson and Infante, putting the Royals up 4-0. As it turned out, it would be a lead Kansas City would not relinquish.

In the bottom of the fifth, Kluber set down Escobar and Dyson before walking Infante. Then Eric Hosmer pounded a home run to center to widen the Royals’ lead to 6-0. Kluber took the loss, giving up six runs – only three earned – on six hits in five innings.

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