Jarrod Dyson hit a grand slam that capped a seven-run rally in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals broke loose after Corey Kluber cramped up, topping the Cleveland Indians 7-3 Monday night.
Kluber scattered five hits and took the mound to begin the eighth with a 2-0 lead. But manager Terry Francona and trainer James Quinlan came from the dugout and pulled Kluber before he could throw a pitch.
Kluber was suffering from a right calf cramp with the temperature at 90 degrees and the heat index 99 at the start of the game.
With Kluber out, the Royals roughed up relievers Bryan Shaw and Jeff Manship. Alcides Escobar and Eric Hosmer began the eighth with singles and both scored on Christian Colon’s pinch-hit double.
Colon squared around to bunt on the first two pitches, both balls. Colon then drove the next pitch to deep center tying it at 2.
With two outs, Shaw (1-4) walked Alex Gordon and Cheslor Cuthbert. Manship was summoned to face Paulo Orlando, who hit a go-ahead single. 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.
Kluber, tagged by the Royals for eight runs in five innings on June 15 at Kauffman Stadium, struck out eight and walked three in shutting them down. He has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his past five starts.