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Two days of rainouts must have been enough rest for the Indians' bats. Tribe runners crossed the plate 19 times in a dismantling of the Kansas City Royals Monday night.
Now the holders of the best record in baseball, Cleveland looks to sweep Kansas City in a short series and extend their 4.5 game lead in the division.
Here's the team reports for both the Indians and Royals.
CLEVELAND INDIANS
Three years after the Indians acquired him as the marquee name in the package of prospects they got from Milwaukee in the CC Sabathia trade, first baseman Matt LaPorta is still trying to establish himself at the major league level. LaPorta took another step in the right direction Monday night.
LaPorta equaled his career high with four hits, helping to lead the Indians to a 19-1 win over Kansas City. He had four of the Indians' 20 hits and four of team's 19 RBI.
It was expected that LaPorta would eventually become a middle-of-the-order run producer for the Indians, but so far that hasn't happened. LaPorta has hit seventh in the Indians' lineup in most games this year.
Part of the reason for that has been his inconsistency. Over the last two years, LaPorta has had short bursts of very productive games, but longer stretches of unproductive games. He hasn't shown the consistent power he was said to have at the time of the Sabathia trade, when LaPorta was considered one of the top prospects in all of minor league baseball.
His outburst Monday raised LaPorta's batting average to .274. He has four home runs and 21 RBI.
LaPorta is 26, so the clock is ticking on his potential. But he is going to get ample opportunity to make good. Barring injury, he will remain the Indians' everyday first baseman this season, by the end of which his star will either still be shining, or starting to seriously flicker.
NOTES, QUOTES
--1B Matt LaPorta matched his career high with four hits in the Indians' 19-1 win in Kansas City on Monday. It was a rare offensive outburst on the road for LaPorta, who came into the game hitting .192 in road games.
--OF Michael Brantley was 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, as he continues flourish while hitting in the leadoff spot in place of the injured CF Grady Sizemore. Brantley is hitting .337 when serving as the leadoff man this season.
--CF Grady Sizemore was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a bruised right knee. The 28-year-old was injured in a hard slide at second base May 10 last week against the Tampa Bay Rays. He rested and rehabbed for five days -- increasing his activities over the weekend -- but was placed on the DL when it hadn't sufficiently responded, In 18 games this season, Sizemore batted .282 with six homers, 10 doubles, 11 RBI and scored 15 runs. OF Travis Buck was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take Sizemore's spot. The DL move was made retroactive to May 11, meaning he would be eligible to be activated May 26.
--OF Travis Buck was recalled from Class AAA Columbus to replace CF Grady Sizemore (knee) on the roster. In 60 at bats with Columbus, Buck was hitting .333 with three home runs and 21 RBI.
--3B Jack Hannahan, who made the team in spring training as a non-roster player, is leading all AL third basemen with a .980 fielding percentage. Hannahan has made two errors.
BY THE NUMBERS: 10 -- Runs scored by the Indians in the fourth inning Monday, their second 10-run inning of the season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Just about everything worked." -- Indians manager Manny Acta, on his team's execution in a 19-1 win over Kansas City on Monday night.
ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
--CF Grady Sizemore (bruised right knee) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 11.
--RHP Mitch Talbot (strained right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He threw a bullpen session May 3, and he pitched in extended spring training May 9. He made a rehab start for Class AAA Columbus on May 14, and manager Manny Acta said he would make one more start in the minors before returning.
--INF Jared Goedert (strained abdominal muscle) went on the 60-day disabled list March 30. He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Akron on May 10.
--OF Trevor Crowe (right shoulder surgery in March 2011) went on the 60-day disabled list March 30. He will be out until at least late July.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Kyle Davies' sore right shoulder has shuffled the Royals' pitching staff.
Davies lasted just one-third of an inning in Monday's game against the Indians, and he was lifted after walking the bases loaded. He exited after 21 pitches (six strikes), led off the field by trainer Nick Kenney in the first inning of Kansas City's 19-1 loss.
Club officials said Davies left with soreness in his anterior shoulder. He was scheduled for a MRI, but the club immediately put him on the disabled list.
Davies motioned to the dugout after the third walk, and manager Ned Yost, pitching coach Bob McClure and Kenney came to the mound.
Rookie right-hander Nate Adcock replaced Davies and gave up a two-run single to Orlando Cabrera.
Right-hander Vin Mazzaro, who was scheduled to start Tuesday's game, replaced Adcock in the third with the Royals trailing 3-0, but the real trouble came in the fourth. Mazzaro gave up 10 runs on eight hits in the inning -- but Yost still didn't take him out.
Mazzaro gave up another run in the fourth, then left with the bases loaded. All three runners scored against right-hander Jeremy Jeffress, leaving Mazzaro charged with 14 runs on 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings.
He became only the third pitcher since 1947 to surrender 14 earned runs in a game, and the first to give up 10 runs in an inning since Texas' Scott Feldman did it in 2008 against Boston, according to STATS LLC.
Afterward, Mazzaro was optioned to Class AAA Omaha. Sean O'Sullivan was bumped up from Wednesday to Tuesday in the rotation, though he will still be starting on his regular fifth day due to a rainout Sunday in Detroit.
Davies' ERA jumped to 7.46 after two runs were charged against him. He dropped to 1-6 in nine starts.
Davies joins fellow starter Bruce Chen (left lat tightness) on the disabled list.
Mazzaro's ERA went from 4.50 to 22.74.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Paul Splittorff, who holds the Royals' career record with 166 victories, has been admitted to a Kansas City-area hospital for treatment of melanoma and oral cancer. Splittorff, who is also a broadcaster for the club, is a member of the Royals Hall of Fame.
--RHP Sean O'Sullivan will likely move up a day and start Tuesday against the Indians. RHP Vin Mazzaro was the scheduled Tuesday starter, but he threw 77 pitches Monday in a relief appearance, giving up 14 earned runs, and was sent to Class AAA Omaha after the 19-1 loss to the Indians. O'Sullivan would be working on his normal four days of rest with the Royals rained out Sunday in Detroit.
--RHP Vin Mazzaro was roughed up for 14 runs on 11 hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings, his ERA zooming to 22.74. Mazzaro is only the third pitcher since 1947 to surrender 14 earned runs in a game. The last reliever to do that was in 1942. Mazzaro was optioned to Class AAA Omaha after the debacle.
--DH Billy Butler's run-producing double extended his hitting streak to 117 consecutive series. Only OF Nick Markakis of the Orioles has a longer streak, hitting in 151 straight series.
BY THE NUMBERS: 18 -- Margin of defeat Monday, equaling a franchise record, set two other times. The Royals' 19-1 loss to the Indians was matched by a 21-3 defeat to the Athletics on June 18, 2000, and a 19-1 loss to the Twins on July 26, 2010. All three were at home.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Well, I don't really like that." -- Manager Ned Yost, on the club being six games behind the first-place Indians.
ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
--RHP Kyle Davies (sore right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list May 17.
--LHP Bruce Chen (left lat strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 6. He is expected to be out until at least early June.
--RHP Robinson Tejeda (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 13. He threw his first bullpen session April 19, and he threw additional bullpen sessions April 30 and May 3. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Omaha on May 6, and he could be close to returning to the bullpen.
--C Jason Kendall (right shoulder surgery in September 2010) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list May 5.
--RHP Henry Barrera (right elbow sprain) was hurt Feb. 25, and he went on the 60-day disabled list March 13. He hopes to return by midseason.
