Keller career high strikeouts lead Royals to snap 10-game losing streak

The Kansas City Royals hit for the cycle their first time through the order and grabbed their biggest lead of the season in a six-run first inning en route to an 8-1 victory over the visiting Cleveland Indians on Friday night. The Royals snapped a 10-game losing streak with the win. Brad Keller (2-1) gave up one run on three hits and five walks over 6 2/3 innings, with a career-high 10 strikeouts. He now has pitched at least six innings in nine straight starts, the longest active streak in the majors. Keller's 118 pitches were the most thrown by a Royals starter since James Shields threw 124 on July 29, 2014.

Alex Gordon had four hits, including three extra-base hits, and three RBIs for the Royals. The six runs were the most the Royals have scored in one inning this season, and the most runs they scored in the first inning since May 8, 2018, when they scored 10 runs in Baltimore.

Whit Merrifield, whose 31-game hitting streak was snapped on Thursday, led off the first with a single. He scored on Adalberto Mondesi's triple, and Mondesi scored on Gordon's home run. After a walk and two more singles, Chris Owings ripped a double down the left-field line for the team cycle in the first. Carlos Carrasco (1-2) took the loss for the Indians. He gave up six runs on six hits in just 2/3 of an inning.

Tyler Naquin's 420-foot home run in the second off Keller snapped Keller's streak of 54 innings without giving up a home run, the longest active streak in the majors. Keller's previous home run allowed was on Aug. 31, 2018. The Royals got that run back in the fourth when Gordon, who also doubled in the second, pulled a double down the line, scoring Merrifield. Gordon was out trying to stretch it to a triple to give himself three-fourths of a cycle.

The Royals added a run in the sixth on a double-steal. The Royals were without regular centre fielder Billy Hamilton but could have him back soon. He injured his left knee trying to make a game-saving catch in the ninth inning Thursday. An MRI exam revealed only a mild MCL sprain and a bone bruise.