Choo’s RBI single off sea gull in 10th inning lifts Indians to 4-3 win over Royals

Choo’s RBI single lifts Indians past Royals in 10

CLEVELAND — Shin-Soo Choo lined a single off a low-flying sea gull, driving in Mark DeRosa from second base in the 10th inning to give the Cleveland Indians a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

DeRosa opened the inning with a single off Kyle Farnsworth (1-4).

Victor Martinez then walked and Choo lined a 1-0 pitch over the second-base bag. Center fielder Coco Crisp came in to try and make a play, but the ball clipped the wing of one of the hundreds of birds that have been buzzing the ballpark the past couple of weeks.

The ball bounced past Crisp as DeRosa scored easily and the Indians mobbed Choo to celebrate the win.

Matt Herges (2-0) worked the top of the 10th, allowing one hit.

Cleveland moved out of last place in the AL Central, a half game ahead of the Royals, who have lost 23 of 30 since leading the division by three games on May 7.

DeRosa reached base all five times up on three singles and two walks.

Royals starter Zach Greinke left with a 3-1 lead and one out in the eighth. Reliever John Bale got Choo to hit a potential double-play grounder, but the Royals made two errors on the play and Cleveland tied the score.

Greinke gave up a one-out single to DeRosa and walked Martinez in the eighth. Choo’s bouncer was fielded by first baseman Billy Butler, whose throw to shortstop Tony Pena forced Martinez. But Pena’s return throw was in the dirt and got past Butler for an error that allowed DeRosa to score with a head-first slide. Meanwhile, second baseman Alberto Callaspo retrieved the ball and threw wide of home, sending Choo to second.

Jhonny Peralta followed with a high drive off the left-field wall that just missed being a homer, but easily scored Choo.

Greinke, coming off his worst start of the season, allowed three runs and six hits over 7 1-3 innings — matching his season-high pitch count at 116.

The right-hander won his first six starts and had an astounding 0.40 ERA on May 4. Then the Royals went just 2-4 in his next six outings, including a 9-3 loss at Toronto on Friday in which Greinke gave up five runs and nine hits over five innings.

Miguel Olivo hit his third homer in three games, a solo shot off reliever Luis Vizcaino to give the Royals a 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth.

Martinez put Cleveland ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the third.

The Royals went ahead in the fifth by scoring twice against Cleveland starter Jeremy Sowers. David DeJesus had a run-scoring double and later scored Butler’s grounder.

Sowers gave up two runs and six hits over five innings. Eight of the first nine outs registered by the left-hander were on grounders. He has a 2.14 ERA in four outings including three starts since being recalled from the minors May 23.

Notes: Indians RHP Kerry Wood made his 300th career appearance, striking out two in a perfect ninth. … Royals 2B Alberto Callaspo went 1 for 5 and was 7 for 13 (.538) with his first career grand slam in the three-game series. … Callaspo has hit .336 (46 for 137) overall in night games this season. … Indians LHP Scott Lewis, sidelined since April 11 with a strained left elbow made his first rehab start in the minors for Class A Lake County. He struck out three over three hitless innings.