EditorsNote: rewords fifth and ninth grafs; adds new last graf
Rookie Oscar Mercado recorded his first career five-hit performance as the host Cleveland Indians posted a 10-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday to extend their winning streak to a season-high-tying six games.
Mercado, who had two RBIs and scored twice, collected a double and four singles to become the 12th Indians rookie since 1913 to record at least five hits in a game.
Tyler Naquin belted a two-run homer, and Francisco Lindor had three hits and three runs for Cleveland, which also won six in a row from June 30-July 7.
Whit Merrifield slapped a three-run triple and Hunter Dozier had an RBI double for Kansas City, which saw its season-high, four-game winning streak come to a halt.
After Dozier's double gave the Royals a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, the Indians answered with four runs in their half of the inning.
Jake Bauers singled to lead off before Naquin launched 2-2 curveball from Mike Montgomery (0-1) off the top of the right field foul pole to stake Cleveland to a 3-2 lead. The homer was the 28-year-old Naquin's ninth of the season and fourth against Kansas City this year.
The Indians weren't done in the inning as Lindor and Mercado ripped back-to-back doubles before Jose Ramirez's groundout plated the rookie to push the advantage to 5-2.
Roberto Perez added a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning for the Indians, who saw the Royals load the bases with two outs in the sixth to chase Shane Bieber (9-3). Merrifield greeted reliever Nick Goody with a bases-clearing triple to trim the lead to 6-5.
Cleveland rebounded as Mercado slapped an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the sixth, and the Indians scored three more runs in the eighth. Greg Allen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI single, and Jason Kipnis' sacrifice fly plated Carlos Santana.
Bieber picked up the win and improved to 3-0 in four career starts versus Kansas City despite allowing five runs on seven hits with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. he struck out six.
Montgomery, making his Royals debut after he was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Monday, gave up five runs on six hits in two-plus innings. He fanned one and didn't issue a walk.
--Field Level Media
