Jarrod Dyson Scores First Career Grand Slam In Royals’ 7-3 Win Over Indians

Jarrod Dyson hit his first career grand slam, which capped off a seven-run rally in the eighth, and the Kansas City Royals took advantage of Indians starter Corey Kluber’s early exit to secure a 7-3 home victory over Cleveland on Monday night.

Jarrod Dyson Scores First Career Grand Slam In Royals’ 7-3 Win Over Indians

Kluber tossed 95 pitches over seven scoreless innings, but the right-hander was removed with a cramping right calf. He scattered five hits and took the mound to start the eighth with a 2-0 lead. However, Indians manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber before he could throw another pitch.

The temperature at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium was at 90 degrees, and the heat index was at 99 at the start of the game.

“I don’t think cramps are serious, but I don’t know how he’s going to push off the rubber,” Francona said.

Kluber acknowledged dehydration could have caused the cramping.

“It was definitely hot out there,” Kluber said. “The first couple of (warmup) pitches it kind of grabbed a little bit. I tried to push through. The last two or three pitches, I couldn’t push off. I was just kind of dragging. I think I threw a couple to the backstop. I just tried to keep going.

“Obviously it’s frustrating. I guess it’s just one of those things that happens. I just tried to throw but it just got worse to the point where I had to come out.”

Following Kluber’s exit, the Royals pummeled hits off relievers Bryan Shaw and Jeff Manship. Alcides Escobar and Eric Hosmer led off the eighth with singles and both scored on Christian Colon’s pinch-hit double.

Colon hit for Kendrys Morales, who fouled a ball off his right foot (X-rays negative), and then hit the next pitch to deep center, tying it at 2.

With two outs, Shaw (1-4) walked Alex Gordon and Cheslor Cuthbert. Paulo Orlando then delivered a go-ahead RBI single off Manship, and Whit Merrifield walked to load the bases before Dyson cleared them with his first career grand slam and his first home run of the season.

“My first career [homer] in the Minor Leagues was a grand slam,” the right fielder said. “I’m not even a home-run hitter. I’m just a lucky guy right now … it was an accident. I don’t do that on the regular.”

Kluber, tagged by the Royals for eight runs in five innings on June 15 in Kansas City, struck out eight and walked three on Monday.

Francisco Lindor, who is hitting .439 with three home runs against the Royals this season, belted a solo homer around the right-field pole off right-hander Edinson Volquez to give the Indians a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Lindor’s homer had an exit velocity of 108 mph and traveled 435 feet, per Statcast™, that marked both the hardest-hit and farthest homer by the shortstop in his MLB career.

Luke Hochevar (2-2) worked a scoreless eighth to pick up the win.

Volquez ran into some tough luck in the fourth when he walked Jose Ramirez with one out. After a long battle with Lonnie Chisenhall, Volquez jammed him with a fastball, but Chisenhall hit a single to left-center, as Ramirez then raced to third. Juan Uribe then hit an RBI groundout off Volquez.

“I thought I did a good job of getting out of some trouble,” Volquez said. “That’s a tough team. These are games we need to win.”

The two teams will face off for the second game of their three-game series at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night. After a stellar first-half of the season, righty Danny Salazar (10-3, 2.75 ERA) will take the mound for Cleveland (54-38, 1st in AL Central). Salazar was held out of his first All-Star Game due to mild right elbow discomfort.

Left-hander Brian Flynn (1-0, 2.39) will make his first start for the Royals (47-45, 3rd in AL Central) and first since August 2014 when he was with Miami. Flynn has made 13 relief appearances this season and has a 1.42 ERA in his last eight appearances.

KANSAS CITY, MO – JULY 18: Jarrod Dyson #1 and Christian Colon #24 of the Kansas City Royals are doused with water by catcher Salvador Perez #13 after the Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-3 to win the game at Kauffman Stadium on July 18, 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena