Royals’ Young goes 5 no-hit innings day after father’s death

Young pitched five no-hit innings Sunday in his first start after almost two months in the bullpen, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0. “If they have issues with it – I saw (shortstop Alcides) Escobar saying a few things – they can take it up with me”.

“Chris was adamant that he wanted to pitch today”, Yost said. They were assured of at least an NL wild-card slot Friday night when San Francisco lost to Oakland.

Yost said he would’ve been more annoyed if it hadn’t been a combo effort on the no-hit try. Santana advanced Lindor on a flyball and then there was a weird play in which Chisenhall lined out to the pitcher, Brantley got back to 1st after a poor throw by Madson and Lindor ran home without ever tagging up. Moustakas’ one-hop throw to first was not almost in time.

Clearly that was a very poor piece of baserunning by Lindor, although the 3rd base umpire tried to let him get away with it. After the game Lindor fessed up in typically candid fashion: “I went back”. Cleveland’s Michael Brantley likely will miss his fifth straight game due to a sore right shoulder but is expected to return for Monday’s series opener against Minnesota.

Seattle won a revised lottery system that sent the non-playoff teams to the lottery, but based their chances of getting the top pick on their records over the past two seasons.

Young, who had not started since July 28 and was on a limited pitch count, walked only one in his five innings.

Brantley ended Young’s flawless run out of the gates at 11 batters by drawing a walk with two outs in the fourth.

Kansas City Royals’ Lorenzo Cain celebrates in the dugout after… The throw was off line and in the dirt as Brantley eluded Hosmer and got back safely, while Lindor came home.

Kansas City asked for a video review, but after a 71-second delay, the call was not overturned – Hosmer tagged Brantley with his glove while the ball was in his throwing hand.

“It was convoluted, as you could tell”, Francona said of the umpire’s explanation. “I guess in the end, they got the call right”.

Its pretty clear Ned Yost values home field advantage as being a secondary goal behind resting his players to make sure they are ready for the post-season. Thats hard to have a run taken off the board.

Lindor lays one down: After Young and lefty Danny Duffy combined for six no-hit innings, Lindor decided enough was enough. Gordon’s RBI single made it 3-0 in the seventh.

The Indians fell four games behind Houston for the AL’s second wild card with eight games left.

NOTES: DH Kendrys Morales was not in the Royals’ lineup after being hit in the right ankle by a pitch Saturday.