Tribe Clip Royals

The Cleveland Indians looked every bit like a playoff-ready team.

Four Cleveland pitchers combined on a three-hitter as the Indians came from behind to win for the 49th time this season, beating the Kansas City Royals 2-1 Tuesday night.

Kansas City starter Jay Witasick (9-12) and two relievers gave up two runs in the eighth inning.

"Witasick threw the ball well and he didn't give us many opportunities," Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove said. "Then, when we did hit the ball well, they made good plays. (Rey) Sanchez made a good play on a ball up the middle that (Roberto) Alomar hit to turn a double play."

"They just didn't give us many opportunities. When the opposing pitcher and defense are not giving you a lot of chances to score, you need to do the little things to score."

Omar Vizquel led off the eighth with a double against Witasick and advanced to third when right fielder Jermaine Dye bobbled the ball for an error. Alomar singled through a drawn-in infield to tie it and Manny Ramirez walked.

Alvin Morman relieved and retired Jim Thome on a grounder. Jose Santiago took over and gave up an RBI grounder to pinch-hitter Richie Sexson.

"(Jay) pitched a good ballgame," Kansas City manager Tony Muser said. "That was a pretty good job against one of the better lineups in baseball. I think he's put the idea of us using him as a closer to bed."

Witasick was pleased with his performance.

Cleveland starter Jaret Wright was removed after five innings as Hargrove worked on setting up his rotation for the playoffs.

"Jaret threw strikes," Hargrove said. "He had good velocity on his fastball and threw some nice breaking balls for strikes."

"We were only going to go five innings with him. He's going to come back on Saturday and pitch then, to get him in line for the postseason. I hated like crazy to take him out because he was throwing so well. I was curious to see how he would fare in the rest of the game. But it was something that had to be done."

Wright threw just 63 pitches, 35 strikes, and allowed one unearned run and one hit. He walked one and struck out three.

Although he understood Hargrove's decision, he wanted to stay in the game.

"When the game is going like that, you want to stay around," he said. "They told me before the game that it was going to be five innings."

"As soon as you start thinking, 'I'm going to go just five innings,' you're out of there in three. I was going to go out and make them take me out when it was time."

Jim Brower (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings and was relieved by Steve Karsay, who pitched a hitless eighth.

Mike Jackson gave up a leadoff single to Scott Pose but got three outs for his 39th save in 43 chances. He struck out Dye with Pose on third to end the game.

Wright breezed through the first three innings without giving up a hit. Carlos Beltran singled in the fourth, stole second and went to third on catcher Sandy Alomar's error, and scored on Dye's sacrifice fly.

Beltran was the 12th straight baserunner to steal a base against Alomar since the catcher returned from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Sept. 5.

Notes