Clevinger helps Indians beat Royals

Mike Clevinger pitched six innings of four-hit ball, Carlos Santana and Roberto Perez went deep, and the Cleveland Indians rolled to a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in Kansas City, Missouri.

Clevinger (2-2) struck out nine without a walk in his second start since a balky back forced him into a lengthy stay on the injured list. He struggled in his first game back but dominated the Royals, improving to 7-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his career against them.

Danny Duffy (3-5) kept his command issues at bay long enough to last 6 2-3 innings for Kansas City. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits, five walks and a hit batter.

Both starters had stumbled into the game, and the teams had combined for 25 hits in the series opener. So of course that rarest of treats these days would unfold: an old-school pitchers’ duel.

Royals starter Danny Duffy retired the first six batters he faced, then kept grinding outs when he couldn’t seem to find the plate. And he did it despite two defensive miscues that cost him a run in the third.

The first came when Perez appeared to be caught stretching a double into a triple, but Hunter Dozier’s high tag allowed him to sip underneath safely. The second flub came when Perez should have been caught trying to score on a wild pitch but again the tag was missed.

There was no one to blame but Duffy for Santana’s homer in the fourth.

The veteran first baseman cranked a 1-and-2 pitch into the bullpen in left field to extend his major league-leading on-base streak to 26 games.

NATIONALS 3, MARLINS 1: Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and Washington beat Miami. MULTIPLE PLAYERS TO MISS ALL-STAR GAME: Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella will miss the All-star game because of a broken bone after he fouled a 97 mph fastball off his lower right leg. La Stella had a CT scan Wednesday that revealed a broken right tibia. Texas Rangers outfielder Hunter Pence and Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi will also miss the All-star Game in Cleveland next Tuesday because of injuries. La Stella was to be replaced by Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe on the AL squad. But Lowe’s status also is questionable because of a right leg injury. Jose Berrios will fill in for Odorizzi. Pence was replaced by Boston’s Xander Bogaerts.