Royals meltdown in Cleveland

After leading 5-0 through the first four and a half innings, the Royals melted down late in a 8-5 loss to Cleveland. It pushes Kansas City five games back of first place in the AL Central.

Things started well early for the Boys in Blue. In the top of the second, the offense used some fireworks to break the scoreless tie. Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Witt Jr clubbed two long balls off Triston McKenzie to make it 3-0.

In the ensuing inning, Witt Jr launched his second homer of the game 454 feet to extend their lead to five. With a 5-run cushion, all seemed well with Seth Lugo on the bump.

However, the Guardians answered back with three runs of their own to cut the lead down to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth.

Lugo nearly coughed up the lead in the home half of the fifth, as he faced bases loaded and one out. Fortunately, he punched out Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez to end the threat.

That lead, though, could only be held for so long. In the bottom of the seventh, the Guardians busted the game open with five runs. Tyler Freeman tied the game with a two-run shot off Lugo and Cleveland cleared the bases on a throwing error by Witt Jr to take a commanding 8-5 lead.

That error proved to be fatal, as the Royals couldn’t mount a comeback against the leagues best bullpen.

Kansas City, 36-26, will try and even up the series tomorrow. Brady Singer will toe the slab at 5:40 p.m. CT.