Baseball's a funny game. The Indians, who entered Sunday's game averaging just 3.28 runs per game since the All-Star Break, exploded for 15 runs in four innings to salvage the finale of their three-game weekend set with the Royals. Every Indian in the starting lineup, except for Lou Marson, who drew three walks, had a hit. Every Indian except Casey Kotchman scored a run and everybody except Michael Brantley and Marson had a RBI in a 15-4 Tribe rout.
David Huff and Royals starter Jeff Odorizzi, making his Major League debut, both pitched terrific over the first five innings. The only blemish off of either starter was a third inning solo home run from Royals catcher Adam Moore, his first in the Majors since September 7, 2010. The Indians had just two hits off of Odorizzi and the Royals had just two hits and the one run.
There may not be a clear winner of the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, as both Alex White and Drew Pomeranz have gone through growing pains and struggles, but there is a clear cut loser. Jimenez didn't make it through the fifth inning en route to losing for the 17th time this season and the Indians offense was shut down by a lefty yet again. The 5-3 loss guarantees the Indians of their third 90-plus loss season in the last five years.
DOWN A NOTCH: Oakland has leapfrogged past the Indians in total home attendance for the season, dropping the Tribe back into 13th place, leading only Tampa Bay in the American League.
There's one thing the Indians did by beating the Twins on Thursday afternoon. They did avoid a sweep, but that isn't what we're concentrated on right now.