Canton
Tribe routs Royals 15-1; Sabathia gets first win
UPDATE: 11:59 PM, Tuesday, April 22, 2008
BY DOUG TUCKER
AP SPORTS WRITER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Casey Blake had a grand slam and six RBIs and C.C. Sabathia struck out 11 in his first victory, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 15-1 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Blake, the No. 9 hitter, was 4-for-4 with a single and a grand slam and two RBI doubles in the Indians' 17-hit attack. David Dellucci and Jhonny Peralta also homered and Franklin Gutierrez had a three-run double for Cleveland, which came in with the 10th-worst run total and lowest slugging percentage in the league.
Sabathia (1-3) went six innings and gave up only four hits and two walks. Mark Teahen and Jose Guillen each struck out three times against the reigning Cy Young Award winner.
Gil Meche (1-3) lasted just 3 1-3 innings as his ERA ballooned to 8.00 and the Royals lost their fifth straight. The right-hander gave up eight runs on nine hits, had one walk and two strikeouts in his shortest outing of the year.
Cont...