Hochevar earns first win since May, Betancourt steals home to lead Royals over Indians 6-4

Luke Hochevar pitches Royals past Indians 6-4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Luke Hochevar recovered from a shaky start to earn his first win since May 26 and Yuniesky Betancourt stole home, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

The top pick in the 2006 amateur draft, Hochevar (6-5) gave up three runs in the first two innings but none after that. He allowed eight hits over six innings, striking out five and walking one.

Hochevar missed nearly three months this season with a right elbow sprain.

Mitch Maier had a two-run single in Kansas City’s four-run second. Betancourt walked with the bases loaded to force in Kila Ka’aihue with the first run of the inning. With Betancourt on third, Maier broke from first and Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin ran toward him. Betancourt took off for home and by the time Tomlin turned around and fired to the plate, Betancourt slid in ahead of the tag to give the Royals a 4-3 advantage.

It was Betancourt’s first stolen base of the season and the Royals’ first steal of home since Alex Gordon did it on Aug. 2, 2009, at Tampa Bay.

Ka’aihue doubled home Billy Butler and Wilson Betemit in the sixth.

Joakim Soria worked the ninth for his 39th save in 41 chances. He has converted 32 straight opportunities.

Tomlin (4-4) went five-plus innings, allowing six runs on six hits and two walks to snap his three-game winning streak.

Shin-Soo Choo hit a two-run homer, his fourth of the series, to give the Indians a 2-0 lead in the first. Trevor Crowe led off the second with a double and scored on Luis Valbuena’s single.

The Indians did not score again until the eighth when Crowe scampered home on Blake Wood’s wild pitch.

Michael Brantley singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 19 games, the longest active streak in the majors and the longest by an Indians rookie since Larry Doby hit in 21 in a row in 1948.

NOTES: Royals 2B Chris Getz missed his sixth straight game after sustaining a concussion Sept. 12 at Chicago. Choo got his 20th stolen base in the third inning, giving him 20 home runs and 20 steals this season. After 74 home dates, the Royals’ attendance is down 193,309 from last season.