Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jason Vargas, aided by the solid defense of his infielders, pitched a gem of a game at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night, beating the Indians, 4-0.

Vargas pitched a complete game, needing just over 100 pitches to do so. The Indians reached base in each of the first six innings, but they also hit into four double plays in that span. Only once, in the first inning, did an Indians baserunner make it as far as third base. Back to back singles from Francisco Lindor and Michael Brantley put Lindor at third with one out, only to see him be stranded there when Carlos Santana hit into a double play. Going 3 for 4, Brantley got 43% of the Tribe’s seven hits on the evening.

Indians starter Josh Tomlin matched Vargas pitch for pitch until the sixth inning, when Alcides Escobar scored from third on an infield single off the bat of Lorenzo Cain. The first base umpire had called Cain out, which would have ended the inning, but a replay showed that Cain was in fact safe, and the call was overturned. Two Royals doubles brought in a second run in the seventh inning, and a Mike Moustakas homer in the eighth sent Tomlin to the showers. His replacement, Zach McAllister, allowed the fourth run by giving up a single and a double to the first batters he faced.

Not exactly the way the Indians wanted to start off a road trip. The teams play again on Saturday afternoon. Carlos Carrasco and Jason Hammel will be the starting pitchers.

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