Tigers' opener with Royals washed out

Contest will be made up in Sept. 20 doubleheader

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Alan Trammell reclined behind his desk Friday night, his hands behind his head. He looked a little tired.

"It seems like we've been around here a while today," the Tigers skipper said. "This was a long day."

Indeed, and it felt even longer, because the Tigers had traveled from Toronto to Kansas City, only to be met with steady showers that postponed the opening game of their weekend series against the Royals after a one-hour, six-minute delay.

Despite the Tigers' confined quarters while the rain fell, the team managed to get in some work — a few players took batting practice in indoor cages — before settling in to watch parts of the Red Sox-White Sox contest.

"Rain delays are the worst thing in baseball," pitching coach Bob Cluck said. "But it's better to be rained out in the Majors than at Triple-A."

Trammell also managed to find a silver lining.

"The one thing about Kauffman Stadium is that the grounds crew comes in regularly and fills you in," he said. "'You've got another half-hour, then a small window,' they'd say.

"And there were a few times when [the rain] had stopped — for about three minutes."

The postponed game is the Tigers' fifth this season, and their first in nearly three months. They had games against the Twins on April 23 and 24 pushed back because of snow. Their games on April 26 at Cleveland and May 13 against the Angels were rescheduled due to rain.

Friday night's game will be made up as part of a twi-night doubleheader that will begin at 5:10 p.m. ET on Sept. 20 at Kauffman Stadium.

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Tigers' opener with Royals washed out

Pudge missing in action

Tigers' catcher reportedly spent suspension in Colombia

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Where in the world is Ivan Rodriguez?

The All-Star catcher might be in Colombia, where he was attending to personal business during his recently completed four-game suspension. He might be on his way to Kauffman Stadium, where he and his teammates are playing a weekend series against the Royals. He might even be marooned in some random airport because of weather.

Nobody knows.

"I heard he was in Colombia," manager Alan Trammell said, "but I don't really know.

"I don't know all the details, and I basically have no idea [what] personal business he was attending to. ... I don't know exactly when he's going to be here. It could be before the game, it might not. I'm not sure."

Trammell said he had planned to start Rodriguez on Friday night, but instead penciled in Vance Wilson. Trammell also said he wanted to discuss the situation with Rodriguez before making any further decisions.

Rodriguez's situation started to unfold when he began serving the suspension he received for actions and comments deemed inappropriate by the Commissioner's Office during the Tigers' 9-5 loss to the A's on July 30.

During the course of his suspension, Rodriguez left the country to travel to Colombia for undisclosed personal business. According to reports from team officials, he planned to travel from South America to Kansas City in time for Friday night's game, but his whereabouts remained unknown.

Weather likely played some role in Rodriguez's delay, as heavy downpours hit much of the Midwest on Friday morning and afternoon — postponing the Tigers' series opener with the Royals until Sept. 20 — though Trammell refused to accept that as an excuse.

"I realize there's no control over weather," Trammell said, "but that's why I had hoped he [would] come in [Thursday] night, just so he would have been here in case something like this happened.

"I'm disappointed, as we all are. I think everybody would probably like to know a little more. But hey, it's personal and we need to respect that, which we do."

GUILLEN SITS AGAIN

Shortstop Carlos Guillen was to have remained on the bench Friday because of soreness in both knees, though the washout made that academic.

Guillen missed the Tigers' Thursday matinee against the Blue Jays because of the same ailment, which he and Trammell both believe is related to playing three games on the artificial turf at Rogers Centre.

"We do feel that it's turf related, [especially when you consider] the type of knee problems he's had this year," Trammell said. "He's concerned, we're all concerned. But we're confident that it's turf related and it's just soreness, and it will go away in a few days.

"Is he out of the woods? No. The rest of this year is going to be like this."

Trammell added that he didn't think Guillen would need an MRI.

News of Rodriguez's dilemma and Guillen's continued knee problems were enough to make Trammell shake his head take stock of his team's problems.

"It's like, 'OK, what news am I going to get when I show up tomorrow?'" he said. "It's been one thing after another, and you just have to do the best you can.

"The hits just keep on coming"

THIS AND THAT

Keep an eye on Magglio Ordonez during the Tigers' weekend series at Kauffman Stadium. Why? Because he leads all active players with a .368 (70-for-190) batting average in 45 games at the park. He's also collected 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 42 RBIs at Kauffman. ... The Tigers are 6-4 against the Royals this season, including a 2-1 mark in Kansas City. ... Craig Monroe's 12 sacrifice flies leave him one short of Lance Parrish and Travis Fryman for the franchise's single-season record of 13. ... Comerica Park will on the national stage Wednesday when the Tigers take on the World Series champion Red Sox on ESPN. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.

COMING UP

After the rainout on Friday, the Tigers kick off their series against the Royals at 7:10 p.m. ET Saturday — weather permitting. Right-hander Jason Johnson (7-9, 4.06 ERA) will start for the Tigers, while Jose Lima (4-10, 6.84 ERA) gets the nod for the Royals.

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Pudge missing in action

Liefer assures grand sweep

Seventh-inning heroics help Millwood notch another win

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Another night, another grand slam, another hero.

Only the hero this time around wasn't Travis Hafner or Victor Martinez or Jhonny Peralta. It wasn't even Grady Sizemore, back for more after his grand slam Wednesday night.

It was Jeff Liefer.

Yes, Liefer, the 30-year-old journeyman backup infielder with the .232 career batting average, sent a first-pitch cutter high over the right-field wall in the seventh inning Thursday night for the Indians' second grand slam in as many games, and the difference in a 4-2 win over the free-falling Royals.

"With runners on base, I was trying to be aggressive," he said. "It might be the best pitch I would have seen, and I didn't want to miss it. I was looking for a good pitch to hit and I got it."

He got it, all right. That much was certain as soon as the ball flew off his bat and landed 386 feet away, ripping its way through the muggy air of one of those unmistakable Midwestern summer nights.

Liefer's homer is representative of how well the Indians have played during much of the last three weeks, evidence that even role players who haven't homered in more than a year can steal the spotlight on a given night.

That's right, Liefer's last home run came last season — June 26, 2004, to be exact — while he was still a member of the Brewers. He hadn't hit a grand slam since Sept. 10, 2002. And coincidentally, that slam, which he hit as a member of the White Sox, also came at Kauffman Stadium.

So, Jeff, you like playing in Kansas City, huh?

"Yeah," he said, "I do like playing here. It's one of my favorite places to play. I see the ball well here, I like the atmosphere here, I like the ball here. I just like playing here."

So do the Indians, who rode Liefer's slam to another win and a three-game sweep of the Royals. The win was their sixth straight, and 11th in their last 13 games.

Until Liefer connected, though, it appeared the Tribe might finally lose a game during its just-completed six-game road swing through Detroit and Kansas City. The Indians trailed 2-0 entering the seventh with Kevin Millwood on the mound, surely a recipe for a loss. The Tribe, after all, was just 4-8 this season when Millwood turned in a quality start, and this was a quality start.

Indeed, Millwood battled through seven innings, working his way in and out of jams, and stranding a trio of Royals base runners on third along the way. He faltered just once when, in the third he yielded four straight base hits the Royals turned in to a pair of runs. That was all they got off of Millwood, who allowed eight hits, walked one and struck out five over seven innings.

"He's a competitor," manager Eric Wedge said. "And he's been doing it all year long. He doesn't give in to anybody.

"He really set the tone in terms of keeping us in the ball game. He had to work his way into it a little bit, but he just kept getting better as the game went along. As we've seen so many time before, he's at his best when his back's against the wall out there."

Millwood finally got some breathing room in the seventh after Hafner walked, and Martinez and Ronnie Belliard singled to load the bases. It was the first time an Indians runner had advanced past second base all night, and the team wasn't about to let slip away its best chance to give its starter a little support.

Not that Millwood ever had any doubts, of course.

"When we loaded the bases with nobody out, I figured we were going to score at least one run there," Millwood said. "Probably two."

Instead, they scored four after Liefer drove the ball to almost the same spot Sizemore hit his just one night before. The grand slam was the Indians' lone knock with runners in scoring position — they finished 1-for-7 in that category — but it was enough.

"[Liefer's] had some big hits for us," Wedge said. "He's really had some big hits for us. He goes up there, he's ready to hit, ready to drive the ball, and he's had some very big hits for us in a very short time."

When coupled with the A's matinee win over the Angels, the Tribe now stands 2 1/2 games back of the Angels for the American League Wild Card lead. The Indians trail the division-leading White Sox, who were off Thursday, by 12 games.

The Indians, of course, have done everything they could during their week away from home — their 6-0 finish marked their first perfect road trip of six or more games since May 2001.

"You never expect to have this kind of road trip," Wedge said. "But it's a credit to those guys out there and how they're playing, and the consistency with which they're playing."

Added Millwood: "You can't beat that. It should be a good flight home."

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Liefer assures grand sweep

Offense kicking in

Stability of top five translates into winning baseball

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Casey Blake stood in front of his locker Thursday afternoon and pulled tight the Velcro strips on his batting gloves.

He had work to do.

Blake, who entered Thursday with at least one hit in each of his last 11 games, a season-long streak, had to test his bats and make a decision about which he would be using during the Indians' series finale against the Royals. What an important decision, especially considering how well Blake and his teammates have been swinging those bats during recent weeks.

Consider that during the Indians' last 13 games entering Thursday, they were batting .325 and had averaged more than 6.5 runs per game. Those numbers translated into two even more impressive numbers: 10 wins against just three losses.

"Offensively, it's been a while now and these guys have been pretty consistent," manager Eric Wedge said. "We've had a lot of big hits ... and it's the first time we've been able to put that all together, and it's helped us offensively."

"All this," of course, refers to the Tribe's stability among its top five hitters — Grady Sizemore and Coco Crisp at the top of the order, Jhonny Peralta in the No. 3 spot, a healthy Travis Hafner in the cleanup hole and the red-hot Victor Martinez at No. 5.

Each of those five was riding a hitting streak of at least five games and batting at least .276 before the series finale.

Toss in some solid starting pitching and the typical lights-out work from the bullpen — Tribe relievers retired all nine batters they faced Wednesday night, and lead the American League with a 2.85 ERA — and you get a team that should be solid down the stretch, especially after getting its feet wet last year.

"We need to use the experiences that we went through last year in August and September, the good and the bad," Wedge said. "These guys have always learned from their experiences, and that's what they'll do this year.

"We're putting it all together."

TRIBE HOPES RHODES IS READY

Arthur Rhodes' stint on the bereavement list is about to end, whether he's ready or not.

Players are permitted to spend three to seven days on the bereavement before their team loses a roster spot. Thursday marked Rhodes' seventh day on the list.

"We'll make a decision [Friday]," Wedge said. "Right now, we're not even getting to [the alternatives]. We're just focused on him potentially being activated [Friday]."

Should Rhodes not be activated before the Indians' home game against the Devil Rays, the Tribe will have to option a player to the Minor Leagues.

HERE'S THE QUESTION

The Indians entered Thursday 39-1 this season when they score six or more runs in a game. What Major League teams are better when they score at least that many runs in a game? (See answer below)

WILD CARD WATCH

After the A's pulled out a 5-4 comeback win over the Angels on Thursday afternoon, the Indians moved to within three games of the American League Wild Card lead and one full game ahead of the Yankees in the chase.

"There are still a lot of team involved," Wedge said. "But I'm aware of where we're at ... but it's not something I get caught up in. I get caught up in our guys and how we're playing.

I have plenty of people who remind me," he joked. "And that's not even [reporters]."

THIS AND THAT

The Indians entered Thursday winners of each of their five games during the current road trip, and winners of six straight road games overall. The last time the team ended a road trip of six or more games with an unblemished record was May 2001, when the Indians swept the Devil Rays and Royals. ... Blake's 11-game hitting streak is one game short of his career high. ... Cleveland Indians Charities will hold its annual golf outing Monday at Quail Hollow. ... Martinez, Hafner and Cliff Lee will be signing autographs Saturday during a parent-child clinic at Jacobs Field.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Triple-A Buffalo was off Wednesday, but did place outfielder Ryan Ludwick on the disabled list. Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was recalled from Double-A Akron. ... The Aeros, meanwhile, pounded Erie for an 11-1 win to maintain first place in the Eastern League's Southern Division. ... Class A Kinston lost to Myrtle Beach, 6-5, in 13 innings. ... Class A Lake County was off. ... Joe Ness pitched six innings and notched the win as Class A Mahoning Valley beat New Jersey, 4-2. ... Rookie level Burlington lost to Greenville, 10-4.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

After the Nationals scored six runs Wednesday night but lost to the Braves, the Indians stand atop the Majors in this category. The Tribe is 39-1, the Nationals are 21-1, and every other team has at least three losses when they score six runs or fewer.

ON DECK

The Indians will return home Friday for a rather welcomed 10-day, nine-game homestand. First up, a three-game weekend series with the Devil Rays that will kick off at 7:05 p.m. ET Friday at Jacobs Field. Jake Westbrook (10-12, 4.46 ERA) shoots for his fifth win in as many starts. Lefty Mark Hendrickson (6-7, 6.77 ERA), a former Cleveland Cavalier, gets the nod for Tampa Bay.

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Offense kicking in

Sizemore powers Tribe over Royals

Indians win 10th of last 12, Sabathia solid

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Grady Sizemore walked through the Indians clubhouse late Wednesday night, headed straight for his locker when, rather suddenly, he turned and faced a small pack of reporters who wanted to talk with him.

They wanted to ask him about his three-hit evening, his latest dazzling catch and his first career grand slam. They wanted to ask him about the Indians' 6-1 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. They wanted, in short, to ask him about everything he had done during the previous nine innings.

"Pretty good night," one reporter said, more a statement than a question.

Sizemore paused and seemed to ponder those three words. Then he slowly bobbed his head and issued forth what can only be described as more of a hum than any sort of verbal utterance.

"Mmm hmm."

Mmm hmm, as in, "Yeah, it was a pretty good night."

And it was.

Sizemore's 3-for-3 effort, highlighted by that grand slam sparked the Tribe to another win, its fifth straight and 10th in 12 games. And unlike the bizarre 13-7 contest that preceded it Tuesday night, this one was almost kind of easy.

The offense, for example, pounded out 13 more hits. The defense, conversely, snatched away a few hits. And the pitching, well, it all started with C.C. Sabathia, who turned in one of his finest outings all season.

Let's jump straight to the top of the second inning, the game scoreless but the Indians threatening. After Ronnie Belliard popped out to start the inning, Jeff Liefer and Aaron Boone smacked consecutive singles, and Casey Blake walked. With the bases loaded and just one out, Sizemore strode to the plate, worked Royals' starter Zack Greinke to a 3-1 count, then drilled a fastball over the right-center field wall.

One swing. Four runs. No looking back.

"With the bases loaded, I just wanted to get a pitch I could possibly hit to the gap," Sizemore said. "I saw the fastball and I swung."

Added manager Eric Wedge: "Grady put a nice, easy swing on that [ball]. ... You know exactly what you're going to get from that guy every day you come to the park."

The slam also allowed Sabathia, who gave up a single run and seven hits over six innings of work, to relax a bit more and not have to worry about every pitch he hurled towards home plate. En route to his eighth win, he also struck out six batters and issued one intentional walk.

The only run Sabathia yielded came in the third, when the Royals strung together a pair of doubles. He could have easily allowed more — the Royals left two on in the fourth, and left the bases loaded in the fifth — but Sabathia wriggled his way out of jams, something he hadn't done nearly enough during recent starts.

"He is improving at controlling damage," Wedge said. "As a starting pitcher, you give up a run early in the game, you just have to nip it in the bud and try to control the damage.

"You're going to give up runs, but you've got to keep your team in the ball game and give your team a chance to win."

And that's exactly what Sabathia did — with a little help from his friends.

Aside from Sizemore, who also singled home a run in the sixth to collect his career-best fifth RBI, left fielder Coco Crisp also drove home a run and, more importantly, made a diving catch in the fifth that saved at least two runs from scoring.

The scene: One out in the fifth, Royals runners at second and third, the tying run at the plate in the form of Chip Ambres. With Sabathia staring him down on a 2-2 pitch, Ambres lined a ball to left field. Crisp takes off for it, going full blast, catches it in his glove, rolls, then tosses the ball back to the infield.

"It's something that you don't expect to see happen, but he's an aggressive outfielder," Wedge said. "And not only did he make the great catch, but he had the awareness to get up and keep the runners where they were."

That awareness seemed to sum up the whole night for the Indians, who played a very sharp game just one night after a sloppy game.

This latest win leaves the Indians 3 1/2 games back of the Angels and A's in the American League Wild Card race, but lands them one full game ahead of the Yankees.

"Obviously," Sizemore said, "you want to be in the playoffs every year. That's the goal for everyone in this clubhouse. But you have to take it a series at a time. We have a lot of ball left ... and we have to keep playing like we've been playing the last couple of days."

If Sizemore keeps playing like he has been, the Tribe will be just fine.

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Sizemore powers Tribe over Royals

Lee remains an enigma

Odd year continues for left-hander

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — The curious case of Cliff Lee continued Tuesday night.

Lee, the Indians' left-hander with the sparkling 12-4 record turned in a subpar outing — six earned runs and eight hits allowed over five brief innings of work — but didn't pick up the loss.

Granted, he didn't win, either, but he was never in a position to win. He was not, after all, around during the ninth, when the Tribe scored 11 runs and mounted a furious comeback from a very late 7-2 hole.

"I don't think I could have made it nine innings," Lee joked. "I left a lot of balls over the plate. [The Royals] are big league hitters, and they hit 'em. Luckily, we came back and scored 11 runs, which was pretty unbelievable."

The rally, indeed, remains as unbelievable now as it did while it unfolded between the lines at Kauffman Stadium. Almost as unbelievable are Lee's numbers during his last 10 starts.

Lee, during that stretch, has notched five wins against just one loss, but that should come to be expected. Lee has lost just 12 games since Opening Day 2004. His ERA during those 10 starts, however, is a lofty 5.79. His WHIP is 1.57. His strikeout to walk ratio is barely more than two to one. He has but two quality starts.

So how, exactly, does a pitcher post those sorts of numbers and still manage such an impressive winning percentage?

"I don't know," Lee said.

Lee did offer a few theories. For example, His numbers might have been so high because four of the 10 starts in question came against the Yankees and the Red Sox, and he has struggled to locate his offspeed pitches on any sort of consistent basis. As for the wins, well, just call him the beneficiary of a potent offense on its best nights.

The bottom line, however, is that Lee will likely need to begin to locate his offspeed stuff and return to early-season form, when he was 7-3 over 13 starts with a nifty 3.09 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and a strikeout to walk ratio of nearly three to one.

"Cliff was a little bit flat," manager Eric Wedge said Tuesday night. "He didn't have his best stuff."

That's been the case more often than not for much of the last two months, but it hasn't mattered yet.

FOR SEAMHEADS ONLY

The Indians' 11-run ninth inning Tuesday night was nothing, if not at least a bit historic. It also yielded more than a few interesting facts and figures. A sampling:

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Tribe was just the third Major League team to score 11 runs in the ninth inning of a road game. The White Sox matched the effort on Aug. 19, 1970, against the Red Sox, while the Blue Jays turned the trick against the Mariners on July 20, 1984.

The Tribe's latest win was also just the third in club history when trailing by five runs on the road entering the ninth. The first two occasions came on May 4, 1930, at Boston, and Aug. 21, 1934, at Philadelphia.

The rally also marked the Tribe's first double-digit scoring effort during the ninth inning since they scored 10 against the A's on Sept. 3, 1983.

"It was one of those crazy innings," said Grady Sizemore, who was barely a year old during that win at Oakland. "It's something we haven't done very often, but we'd like to do a little bit more."

HERE'S THE QUESTION

When did the Indians last have a winning record through 113 games? (See answer below.)

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

On top of all the runs, hits, errors, rallies and Indians high-fives Tuesday, there were also two official scoring changes.

Royals shortstop Angel Berroa's fielding error committed during the Tribe rally has been changed to a fielder's choice, on the basis of Rule 10.14 (d), which essentially states that no error can be charged on a play in which an out is recorded.

After the change, these statistics are correct: Ronnie Belliard had one RBI, the Indians, 11; Berroa had one error, the Royals had three; Royals closer Mike MacDougal allowed four earned runs, the Royals, six.

Victor Martinez's third-inning fielding error has also been changed to a wild pitch.

WHY LIEFER?

Fans still wondering why Wedge pinch-hit Jeff Liefer for Ben Broussard during the ninth inning Tuesday now have their answer — straight from the skipper's mouth.

"At that point in time, I felt like Liefer was going to potentially give us a better at-bat there," Wedge said. "Benny's a good ball player ... but he's capable of doing more than he is right now. Jeff's given us some pretty good at-bats in the time he's been here. We just need Benny to keep working to get back to giving us the type of at-bats that we can count on, and I believe he will."

WILD CARD WATCH

The Indians, by virtue of the Yankees' 10-inning, 2-1 loss Wednesday afternoon to the White Sox, entered their game in sole possession of second place in the American League Wild Card chase. They remained 3 1/2 games back of Oakland.

ON THIS DATE

In 1933, former Indians star Rocky Colavito was born in New York City. Colavito, now 72, captivated a generation of Tribe fans with his power, personality and talent. "The Rock" earned recognition as one of the "100 Greatest Indians."

THIS AND THAT

Former Indians left-hander Brian Anderson made his first appearance at Kauffman Stadium since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in July. Unfortunately, Anderson didn't bring with him the supposedly enormous bone chips found in his elbow during the surgery. He was, however, toting with him a double steak burrito from Chipotle. ... The Indians improved to 38-1 when they score at least six runs. ... They also improved to 6-1 in August, and 9-6 on Tuesdays.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Fausto Carmona notched his eighth quality start in as many outings at Triple-A Buffalo, but the Bisons fell to Pawtucket, 4-3. ... Ryan Mulhern extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a club record-tying four doubles as Double-A Akron beat Erie, 13-9. ... Class A Kinston swept a doubleheader from Myrtle Beach, 6-4, 6-0. ... Class A Lake County was rained out at Kannapolis. ... Class A Mahoning Valley strung together a four-run first and a seven-run fourth to beat Brooklyn, 11-3. ... Rookie-level Burlington lost to Greenville, 8-7.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

Believe it or not, the Indians were three games over .500 through 113 games ... just last year. The Tribe started 58-55 en route to an 82-80 finish.

ON DECK

The Tribe will continue its three-game series with the Royals at 8:10 p.m. ET Thursday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Kevin Millwood (5-9, 3.12 ERA) will return from his five-game suspension and start his first game in one week. Righty D.J. Carrasco (5-5, 4.29 ERA) will start for the Royals.

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Lee remains an enigma

Eleven-run ninth lifts Tribe past Royals

Improbable comeback extends streak to four

KANSAS CITY — For eight innings Tuesday night, the Indians were little more than a solemn group of men who just happened to be playing a kid's game.

Then they turned into the kids.

They whooped and hollered. They slapped high-fives. They poured out of the dugout to pound each other on the back. Oh, right, and they scored 11 runs in the ninth inning to rally for an improbable, 13-7 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

That's not a typo. The Indians really did score 11 runs in the ninth.

That's the most they've scored in one inning all season. Heck, it's more than they've scored in all but four games this season.

"That's why you play this game to the end," manager Eric Wedge said, still seemingly in disbelief at what he had just seen. "Crazy things have happened before, and they'll happen again."

But probably not as crazy as this. Not for a while, at least.

Not as crazy as sending 14 men to the plate and collecting eight hits and two walks. Not as crazy as seeing the Royals drop three balls in one inning. Not as crazy as seeing 48 pitches and connecting on more than a few.

The numbers just keep going, and it's rather difficult to digest all of them. A dissection of the inning could confuse even the most fluent baseball fan, though, in the end, everything boils down to one thing.

"You score 11 runs," Aaron Boone said, "and you've got to do some things right."

Indeed, the Indians did plenty right, and everything started innocently enough when Casey Blake drilled a double to left and Grady Sizemore drove him home with another double to left. Coco Crisp followed with a single to center that scored Sizemore from second. That made it 7-4, but hardly a game, especially after Jhonny Peralta looked at strike three for the inning's first out.

But the Indians never stopped. Travis Hafner doubled to left and, all of a sudden, Victor Martinez strode to the plate representing of the game's tying run. He singled to left and drove home Crisp to make it a two-run game.

With Ramon Vazquez running for Martinez, Ronnie Belliard popped up to short. Second out, right? Not so fast. Royals shortstop Angel Berroa dropped the ball. Hafner scored on the error to draw the Tribe to within one run, but Vazquez was cut down at second for that second out.

With just one out to go, things looked bleak, especially after all that effort. Wedge even sent Jeff Liefer to the plate to pinch-hit for Ben Broussard.

Liefer, who carried with him a meager .222 batting average, fouled off two pitches and worked the count to 1-2 before he lofted a ball to deep left, just in front of the wall and, seemingly, right into left fielder Chip Ambres' glove to end the game.

"When I first hit it, I thought it might have had a chance [to get out]," Liefer said. "And then I saw [Ambres] kind of settled under it at the wall and I thought I'd just missed it.

"Then I saw it clink off his glove and I was happy again."

Yes, the ball "clinked" right off Ambres' glove as Belliard raced around third to score, tying the game.

"I knew if he misses it or drops it, I can score," Belliard said. "I was running hard with my head down, and he dropped it and I scored."

And the Tribe rolled. The Royals, now thoroughly deflated, just rolled over.

The rest of the inning was a blur. Boone doubled to left and drove in Liefer for an 8-7 lead. Blake walked. Sizemore singled and drove in Boone. On the same play, Royals right fielder Emil Brown booted the ball — literally, with his foot — and Blake scored for a three-run lead.

Then Crisp walked and Peralta, who struck out so long ago, sent a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for a three-run homer that can only be described as an exclamation point.

"We couldn't believe it," Blake said. "We were just going nuts."

Boone added that the chaos in the Indians' dugout was enough to cause bodily harm.

"It was pretty wild," he said. "Victor [Martinez] is always my gauge, and he was going nuts. He was hurting my hand, slapping it. Guys were high-fiving. It was a pretty exciting atmosphere. It was like a little-kid feeling. You can't believe it and you're giddy."

The win, coupled with losses by the Yankees and A's, landed the Tribe in a second-place tie with New York in the American League Wild Card race. Both teams remain 3 1/2 games back of Oakland.

And with the manner in which the Indians have been racking up wins during recent weeks — they've won four straight, and nine of their last 11 — the team is riding higher than ever.

"We never feel like we can lose a game," Peralta said. "We always feel like we have a chance to win."

After this rally, nobody will doubt them.

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Eleven-run ninth lifts Tribe past Royals

Tallet makes most of chance

Indians reliever gets into game after long wait this season

KANSAS CITY — Brian Tallet's locker is full of jerseys and pants draped on hangers, caps and cleats all over the place. Until Tuesday night, he had little use for them.

Tallet was recalled for the third time this season from Triple-A Buffalo on July 26, a full two weeks ago, but hadn't been summoned even once from the bullpen until the sixth inning  of Tuesday's 13-7 Indians win over the Royals. He had spent 25 days and 22 games with the Indians in 2005 before he threw one pitch.

But maybe that was a good thing.

"It [was] a tough situation," manager Eric Wedge said. "Tallet's role up here is to be our true long man and, knock on wood, we [hadn't] had a real true need for that yet."

Indeed during the 22 games Tallet had spent sitting out in the bullpen, the team's starters had worked 145 innings, an average of just less than 6 2/3 innings per start. Add to those numbers the fact that 12 of those 22 starts were quality outings — three or fewer earned runs allowed over six or more innings — and it's not hard to figure out why Tallet never turned up on the mound.

When he finally did take the mound in the sixth inning Tuesday night in relief of starter Cliff Lee, he looked as if he hadn't missed a beat.

Tallet worked 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits and two walks. More importantly, he didn't allow the Tribe to fall any farther behind. The end result? That furious 11-run ninth inning that lifted the Indians to their fourth straight win. Tallet wound up with a no-decision and his skipper's praise.

"Tallet was fantastic," Wedge said. "He came in and did a great job for us. He was pounding his fastball, worked his changeup in. He did a great job for us."

The appearance was Tallet's first since July 21, 2003 — he underwent reconstructive surgery on his left elbow in August 2003, spent last season in the Minors and shuffled this season between Buffalo and Cleveland — and to say he was pleased with the results would be an understatement.

"It felt good," he said. "It's been two years, and to come back, it's a happy feeling for me. Being up here for as long as I have this year and not been able to pitch — the situations just hadn't dictated it — it's a good feeling."

Maybe now, those uniforms in his locker will get a little more wear and tear.

RHODES STILL AWAY

Arthur Rhodes is still not with the Indians and is not expected to rejoin the team during its three-game series at Kansas City.

Rhodes was placed on the bereavement list on Aug. 5, and is eligible to return at any time. The bereavement list allows a player to miss between three and seven of his team's games for personal reasons without his team losing a roster spot.

Should Rhodes remain away from the team for any extended period, the Indians would lose his roster spot following their Aug. 13 game against the Devil Rays at Jacobs Field.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Wedge said. "We'll just have to see what we need to do at that point in time."

HERE'S THE QUESTION

Jhonny Peralta's 15 homers this season are the most by a Tribe shortstop since 1962. Who hit more during that season? (See answer below.)

BUDDY'S BLUES

Two weeks ago, former Indians bench coach Buddy Bell and his Royals were riding high. How quickly things can change, though.

Bell, who was introduced as Royals manager on May 31, had led the team to a 25-26 record and had just taken two of three from the front-running White Sox. Then the bottom fell out; Bell and the Royals have lost 10 straight.

Despite his opponents' woes, Wedge wasn't about to take the Royals lightly, especially since they had a 5-4 record against the Indians this season.

"We've got to come here ready to play," Wedge said. "They can be dangerous. They've got a lot of young ballplayers and Buddy is going to have them ready to play. We can't take any of that for granted."

RADIO WAVES

A recent story in USA Today ranked the Indians radio team as the fifth-best in the American League behind those of the White Sox, A's, Mariners and Twins. The assessment praised analysts Mike Hegan and Matt Underwood, and listed play-by-play man Tom Hamilton as one of the game's best.

"[Hamilton's] play-by-play work is among the best in the game," it read, "and his rapid-fire delivery when things get exciting gives the listener a corresponding rush of adrenaline."

WILD CARD WATCH

The Indians fell one-half game behind the Yankees in the American League Wild Card race Monday night after the Bronx Bombers pulled out a 3-2 win over the White Sox at Yankee Stadium.

The A's and Angels, who lead the Indians in the chase by 4 1/2 games, were both off Monday, though they'll begin a key three-game series Tuesday night at Oakland's McAfee Coliseum. A sweep by either team would allow the Tribe to creep a little closer to the top of the Wild Card standings.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Brad Snyder posted some eye-popping numbers last week and was rewarded, rather appropriately, with the Eastern League Player of the Week honors.

Snyder, a 23-year-old outfielder at Double-A Akron, batted .419 (13-for-31), smacked three doubles and three homers, drove in 11 runs and scored six more for the Aeros, who finished the week with a 5-2 record. During 49 games this season at Akron, Snyder is batting .292 with 10 homers, 36 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

Jake Gautreau hit his 18th homer and Jeremy Guthrie notched his 10th win as Triple-A Buffalo topped Pawtucket, 6-4, Monday night. ... Snyder doubled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, but Double-A Akron lost to Erie, 9-6. ... Class A Kinston scored five runs in the first two innings at Myrtle Beach, but the game was suspended because of rain. The teams will play a twi-night doubleheader Tuesday. ... Class-A Lake County was rained out. ... Class-A Mahoning Valley lost to Brooklyn, 6-2, wasting Kevin Dixon's five shutout innings. ... Rookie-level Burlington lost to Kingsport, 10-6.

AND HERE'S THE ANSWER

Woodie Held smacked 18 home runs during that 1962 season. Held played parts of seven seasons with the Indians, during which he hit 130 home runs.

ON DECK

The Tribe will continue its three-game series with the Royals at 8:10 p.m. ET Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. Left-hander C.C. Sabathia (7-9, 5.27 ERA) will take the hill in search of his second win in as many starts. Righty Zack Greinke (3-13, 6.02) will start for the Royals.

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Tallet makes most of chance

Bautista's season likely finished

Bell indicates right-hander will not be ready to pitch for KC

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Royals right-hander Denny Bautista smiled Sunday morning as he discussed his most recent outing in the bullpen.

Bautista, on the disabled list since May 14 with tendinitis in his right shoulder, had thrown for nearly 10 minutes and his fastball had topped out at 93 mph. He was, to say the least, excited about his progress.

"I feel so great," he said. "This is very different from the last time I got hurt."

While Bautista beamed, though, manager Buddy Bell had other thoughts on the matter.

He's not going to be able to pitch this year," Bell said.

Bell's comments came as a bit of a surprise — the Royals have repeatedly stressed that Bautista was projected to return to the rotation in late August or early September — and will likely end three months of speculation that has followed Bautista through his Minor League rehabilitation and back to Kauffman Stadium.

Bautista started three games at Triple-A Omaha in June and early July, and has tossed several times in Kansas City, including Sunday. Why, then, would the Royals shelve him now?

"We're talking about his throwing program here in the first part of August and I'm sure it's probably going to take him to the end of August," Bell said. "Bringing him back in September, what good does that do? Maybe it lets him know he's OK, but I don't know if that's worth it for a start or two.

"Hopefully, he'll be able to pitch. Sitting here today, I don't think that's going to happen."

While discussing the situation, Bell wondered aloud whether he and the organization had made the right decision, then later answered his own question.

"I'm sure we're doing the right thing," Bell said, "but you never know when you're dealing with a kid's arm.

"If he's fine [after the season] and gets the OK, I assume he'll get some innings in winter ball. Hopefully, he'll get through this thing without any problems because he's a big part of our rotation."

MORE PITCHING PROBLEMS

The Royals' pitching concerns don't end, though, with Bautista's right shoulder. They still need to rejuvenate struggling starter D.J. Carrasco.

Bell had proposed pushing Carrasco back one day in the rotation, but nixed that idea after Sunday's game. Instead, Carrasco will take his scheduled turn in the rotation Thursday night against the Indians.

Carrasco had already been pushed back once this season because of injury — he missed his scheduled start July 15 at Detroit with stiffness in his right shoulder — and hasn't been the same pitcher since.

He was 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA and eight quality starts in 11 outings before he missed the start. Since that point, he has allowed at least four runs in each of his four starts, and has gone 1-2 with a 6.63 ERA and no quality starts.

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

Hall of Famer George Brett batted No. 3 for the Royals during the historic 1985 World Series. Who batted in the cleanup spot? (See answer below)

SWEENEY BACK AT FIRST

Mike Sweeney returned to his familiar patrol at first base Saturday night for the first time since June 15, and reported no pain.

Even that good news, though, isn't enough to persuade Bell to play the slugger at first every day.

"He's stayed pretty healthy not playing first base," Bell said, "so we want to be careful with that. I'm going to take most of the direction from [athletic trainer] Nick [Swartz] and how Nick feels about it.

"I know Mike wants to be out there every day, and he's probably going to be out there more than Matty [Stairs], but we're pretty much going to play it by ear."

Sweeney played 29 straight games as the team's designated hitter between July 1 and Friday.

FARM REPORT

J.P. Howell allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings Saturday to lead Triple-A Omaha to a 6-4 win over Las Vegas. Howell has a 0.77 ERA over his last two starts. ... Billy Butler went 1-for-4 during his debut at Double-A Wichita, a 5-4 Wranglers' win over Tulsa. Mitch Maier hit his 43rd double this season. ... Class A High Desert fell to Lancaster, 6-3, despite Billy Buckner's six-inning, one-run performance. ... Class A Burlington let a five-run lead slip away as it lost to Quad Cities, 6-5 in 10 innings. ... Rookie level Idaho Falls lost Orem, 12-6.

TRIVIA ANSWER

No, it wasn't Hal McRae, but rather eight-time Gold Glove winner Frank White. Because all seven games of the '85 World Series were played without the DH, McRae was left on the bench as the "designated sitter." McRae will miss the 20th anniversary reunion weekend Aug. 12-14, though White and Brett will be in attendance.

ON DECK

The Royals will enjoy an off-day Monday before they begin a three-game series with the Indians at 7:10 p.m. CT Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Mike Wood (3-4, 4.03 ERA) will make his first start since Sept. 29, 2004, which also, interestingly enough, came against the Indians. Lefty Cliff Lee (12-4, 4.02 ERA) gets the nod for Cleveland.

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Bautista's season likely finished

A's simply overpowering in blowout win

Ellis notches three hits, drives in four to lead Royal rout

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — At this point last season, Mark Ellis was lounging around his Arizona home, his right shoulder on the mend after a Spring Training injury, his thoughts and actions far, far away from baseball.

How far? He wasn't even playing catch.

Things have changed rather quickly, though, for the 28-year-old Ellis, who batted 3-for-6 and drove in a season-high four runs Saturday night while the A's romped to a 16-1 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Ellis' latest performance raised his batting average to an even .300 and allowed his skipper to start marching him down the campaign trail.

"I don't know how you get Comeback Player of the Year," manager Ken Macha said, "but here's a guy who didn't play at all last year and he's hitting .300 now."

His average might be even higher if not for the long fences at Kauffman Stadium — where Ellis would have made his Major League debut as a Royal had he not been traded to the A's with Johnny Damon back in 2001 — because during his first at-bat, he smashed a ball deep to center field that was caught just a few feet from the 410-foot sign.

"If I were playing in a smaller ballpark, I probably would have hit ground balls," Ellis joked.

He didn't hit any ground balls, however, until the seventh, well after the A's had locked up their ninth win in 10 games, and improved their record to 36-8 since June 18.

When Ellis came up again in the fourth, the A's already clutching a 1-0 lead thanks to Dan Johnson's fourth homer in as many games, he knocked a single to left-center that drove home Jay Payton. Jason Kendall followed Ellis with another RBI single to grow the lead to 3-0.

Ellis delivered again in the fifth, when, with runners at first and second and the A's up 5-0 after Bobby Kielty's two-run single, he doubled to left-center and drove in two more runs.

For good measure, he knocked in one more run in the seventh, the first of eight A's runs during the inning. The offensive binge provided baseball's hottest team with a commanding 15-0 lead, more than enough for another win.

Those three hits raised Ellis' batting average in the 17 games since the All-Star break to .373 (22-for-59). During that stretch, he's collected 15 RBIs and scored 16 runs. Ellis' explanation for why he's only now picking up the pace?

"I've felt good all year," he said, "But I did miss a whole year. I may have lost a little bat speed that I'm only now getting back. I worked on a lot of things and now I think things are just paying off."

Paying off, indeed, for both him and the A's.

The 16 runs scored matched a season high set June 26 in a shutout win over the Giants. Their eight-run seventh inning was a new season high.

All those long innings and ensuing crooked numbers up on the scoreboard were enough to make starting pitcher Joe Blanton focus just a little bit harder during his six innings on the mound.

"It was a little tougher," said Blanton, who shut out the Royals on three hits while striking out five batters and walking none. "You just have to get back out there and throw a lot of strikes, because the last thing you want to do is let them have a long inning and take us out of a groove."

The A's never lost the groove Saturday night, and they have yet to lose the rhythm they've carried for nearly the last two months.

"This is a tremendously focused group," Macha said. "I'm basically just trying to stay away from them."

Added Ellis: "We were talking about it earlier, [and agreed] this is the funnest team we've ever been on — Little League, high school, whatever. This is great."

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A's simply overpowering in blowout win

Hatteberg not rushing back

A's designated hitter injured himself before Friday's game

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Despite his efforts to return to the lineup by Saturday night, Scott Hatteberg will miss at least one more game with a slight rib cage strain, and might sit the rest of the weekend.

Hatteberg was a late scratch Friday night after he suffered the injury during batting practice Friday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Nearly 24 hours later, manager Ken Macha was still trying to figure out what went wrong.

"During BP," Macha said, "he just shut it down."

One thing Macha has figured out is that rushing Hatteberg back to the A's lineup isn't the solution, especially with a short turnaround after Saturday night's game against the Royals.

"As a general rule," Macha said, "If you've got a day game after a night game, and you're not playing in that night game, there's a good chance you won't play that day game."

The hole Hatteberg leaves in the lineup is a relatively large one — he was batting .280 with five home runs and 47 RBIs — because of his seamless transition from playing in the field every day to strictly batting.

"I think he's done tremendously well with that," Macha said. "And I will continue to get him out there every once in a while."

But not until Sunday, at the earliest.

A BIT OF HISTORY

Just after Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth inning of Oakland's 5-4 win over the Royals on Friday night, he erased one name from the team's record book and inserted his own.

Street's latest save was his eighth in as many chances since the All-Star break, and his 13th this season. The latter stat eclipses the team record for saves by a rookie, set back in 1969 by Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers.

Street, however, chose not to dwell on his accomplishment.

"Those 13 saves are the by-product of winning," he said. "I can't be in those situations if we're not winning baseball games. The biggest thing is that it's just another win for us. That, to me, is the main thing and that's what I'm trying to keep my focus on. All that stuff will take care of itself as long as we keep winning.

"It's a pretty special thing that I'm sure I'll appreciate later on, but right now, we're just focused on continuing to move forward and not reflect on what we've done."

JOHNSON CONTINUES TEAR

First baseman Dan Johnson knocked his third homer in three games Friday night, but said he hasn't been doing anything differently.

"I just have a tendency to hit homers in bunches," he said. "I might hit two in a game or three in a weekend, but then I'll go into dry spells where I go two or three weeks [without a home run]."

Any sort of continued power surge might allow Johnson to creep closer to teammate Nick Swisher at the top of the Major League leaderboard for homers by a rookie. Swisher leads all rookies with 15 homers, while Johnson is tied for fifth with nine.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that," Johnson said. "As long as we keep winning, it doesn't matter what happens."

Macha, meanwhile, called the rookies' production "refreshing."

"I know how much work is being put into these [young guys] by our coaching staff and it's always refreshing to see dividends being paid," Macha said. "Dan Johnson just gets better every day."

For the record, Swisher's and Johnson's 24 combined home runs are the most by any rookie teammates in the Majors. Tampa Bay's Johnny Gomes and Damon Hollins are second, with 23.

DRIBBLERS

With his family safe at home, outfielder Mark Kotsay returned to the A's clubhouse Saturday. Kotsay's wife, Jamie, gave birth to the couple's second daughter, Sienna, in Minneapolis. "It's a life-changing experience," Kotsay said. ... Rich Harden and Barry Zito are scheduled to start Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against the Angels, but the A's have yet to announce their starting pitcher for the Thursday finale. "It's up in the air," Macha said, "and it might be until Tuesday. I'm right on the proverbial middle of the fence." Either Joe Blanton or Kirk Saarloos will get the nod, Macha said. ... The A's are 4-1 in August, and are 90-29 in August since 2001.

COMING UP

The A's will conclude their three-game weekend series with the Royals on Sunday at 11:10 a.m. PT at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Danny Haren (9-7, 4.27 ERA) will take the mound in search of his ninth straight win, while righty Runelvys Hernandez (8-9, 4.49) will start for the Royals. The A's have won each of Haren's last 13 starts.

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Hatteberg not rushing back

Greinke starts strong, 'pen can't finish

Relievers relinquish lead in eighth as KC drops eighth straight

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — For seven innings Friday night, Zack Greinke was literally the calm at the center of a blistering storm, otherwise known as the Royals.

He effectively twirled his fastball and breaking pitches, worked in and out of jams, and left with a lead over the red-hot Oakland A's. By the time he walked off the mound, his lucky necklace tucked firmly beneath his undershirt, he exuded confidence. Another win was just two innings away.

Before the Royals could notch those final six outs, however, the storm blew right into Kauffman Stadium. Jeremy Affeldt replaced Greinke to start the eighth and walked the bases loaded. Ambiorix Burgos relieved Affeldt and allowed two of those runners to cross home. Greinke's lead was gone. So was the Royals' chance for a win. A loss to Oakland, 5-4, stood in its place.

The loss is the Royals' eighth straight. It hurt every bit as much as the previous seven, too, because the potential victory was so firmly within the team's grasp.

Greinke, Kansas City's projected young ace, was pitching brilliantly, and its bullpen needed only to shut the door as it has done so often during the past two months. But while Affeldt's sudden bevy of balls quickly undid everything, manager Buddy Bell couldn't help but look first to what the Royals did well.

"I think sometimes you can come away with some positives," Bell said. "I think throughout the course of the game, we did some decent things. We had one good inning offensively and Zack was really good, but [the relievers] just couldn't throw strikes.

"You can't win Major League games by not throwing strikes. ... It's something we have to get better at."

Of the 39 pitches that Affeldt and Burgos tossed toward home plate, only 19 crossed it for strikes, hardly the desired ratio. Greinke, in contrast, delivered 64 of his 101 pitches for strikes.

Greinke's strikes came early and often, too. While locked in an early pitchers' duel with A's righty Kirk Saarloos, he turned in four scoreless innings to open the game and didn't allow a runner past second base until the top of the fifth, when Jason Kendall doubled home Jay Payton.

As quickly as the Royals fell behind, though, they recovered with equal expedition to the tune of four runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Mark Teahen led off the inning with a double to right before Angel Berroa singled to left, driving in Teahen to tie the game at 1. John Buck then slugged a two-run homer to right-center field. Matt Stairs capped the rally with an RBI single later in the inning to give the Royals a 4-1 lead.

"Johnny [Buck] came up with a big hit. He swung the bat good," Bell said. "But we've got to put together a few more innings offensively to get anything done."

Indeed, for those four runs were all the Royals mustered.

The A's, meanwhile, scored twice in the sixth off Greinke when Dan Johnson homered into the Royals' bullpen in right, and twice in the eighth off the tandem of Affeldt and Burgos.

That Greinke allowed two runs in the sixth shouldn't come as much of a surprise, especially after the right-hander admitted he thought he was finished after five innings of work. In fact, the surprise was how strong Greinke was in the seventh.

Greinke, by that point well fatigued, did not sprint, jog or trot to the mound, but instead walked at a comfortable pace, his pitch count already at 91, his energy well-conserved within his relatively muscular 6-foot-2-inch, 175-pound frame.

Shuffling the dirt on the mound with his right foot, he stared down A's designated hitter Adam Melhuse and delivered three straight strikes, the last a high fastball that Melhuse flailed at somewhere around his shoulders. Greinke then struck out Marco Scutaro on five pitches and forced Kendall to pop out to second. The 10-pitch inning magnified the control and command Greinke had throughout the evening.

"I think my location was pretty good," he said, "and that was probably key. Keeping the ball low in the zone probably kept us in the game for a while. There were a couple of bad pitches, and they capitalized on one."

That one pitch was Johnson's sixth-inning homer — Grienke's only true blemish during an otherwise sparkling outing. His final line: three runs and seven hits allowed over seven innings, with one walk, one hit batter and five strikeouts. A win would have snapped a two-start losing streak.

"I've been up and down lately," Grienke said, "so I was probably due for a decent [start] again."

Both he and the Royals were due, but neither received what surely seemed to be theirs.

The Royals' storm drew more strength when, during his postgame press conference, Bell announced the team had released veteran catcher Alberto Castillo. Already reeling, the team had now lost both a game and a veteran player.

Greinke, though, remained calm — the calm at the center of the storm.

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Greinke starts strong, 'pen can't finish

Castillo released

Phillips will back up Buck behind the dish

by Matt LaWell

KANSAS CITY — Veteran backup catcher Alberto Castillo was released by the Royals after Friday night's game and will be replaced by rookie Paul Phillips.

Phillips, 28, was hitting .267 in 87 games for Triple-A Omaha with 21 doubles, seven home runs and 42 RBIs.

"He's done a solid job back there," general manager Allard Baird said. "It's a chance to evaluate him now instead of a September callup.

Castillo had played just 34 games and was batting .210 with one homer and 14 RBIs in 100 at-bats.

"I did my best and I wish I can be Superman to do better, but I'm not, so I've got to go with what I have," Castillo said.

"I had a good time here with a bunch of guys - [Mike] Sweeney, Matt Stairs. But somebody had to pay the price and it's a business. I'm still in good shape, 35 years old and I know I can still do it. I don't think it's dying. I'm not hanging up my shoes yet."

Castillo was signed to a Triple-A contract during Spring Training 2004 and was called up from Omaha that June. Last season he played 29 games and batted .270.

Manager Buddy Bell called releasing Castillo the toughest decision he's had to make since taking over the Royals just over two months ago.

"Alberto did a great job and he'll catch on with another team and do a great job," said Bell. "He's helped Johnny Buck, but John has had enough time with Alberto and we have to see what this other kid can do."

Phillips has spent his entire career in the Royals' organization. After missing most of three seasons because of elbow surgery, he hit .312 for Omaha last year and earned a September callup. He played in four games for the Royals and collected his first Major League hit.

Castillo said he hoped to continue playing.

"I can't complain about anything," he said. "Allard Baird was the best he could be. Hopefully, he'll continue to do the best for this organization and everybody else. I wish the best for him, too."

There is likely to be another roster move Saturday involving right-handed pitcher Mike Wood, who was back in the Royals' clubhouse for the first time since he was optioned to Omaha on July 25.

Wood, who was sent down to build up his pitch count as a starter, recorded no-decisions in both of his starts with the Omaha Royals, but allowed just two earned runs over nine innings, good for a 2.00 ERA. He lasted 5 2/3 innings during his start Tuesday against Tacoma, his longest outing since Sept. 29, 2004, when he lasted 6 2/3 innings during a start against the Indians.

Wood declined interviews and told reporters, "I'm not [with Kansas City] yet."

Bell, meanwhile, was a bit more open about the situation.

"I can say this," Bell said, "[he'll be activated] in the next day or so. That was our plan, anyway. We're just not sure whether he's going to go in the rotation or back in the bullpen."

Should Wood be inserted into the rotation, he'll likely replace right-hander Kyle Snyder, who is 0-3 in his three starts this season. However, should his position be in the bullpen, Wood will probably supplant right-hander Leo Nunez, who Bell said was unavailable to pitch Friday.

SUPPORT CONTINUES FOR BELL

The Royals' skipper continued to grieve the death of his nephew, Lance Cpl. Timothy Michael Bell Jr., but was able to do so with his family on Friday.

"I'm doing all right," Bell said. "There's a lot of support here. I've got a nephew and two nieces here. My brother's coming in later on tonight, so I'll get to see him."

Tim Bell, a Marine reserve, and the son of Bell's brother, was one of 14 Marines killed Wednesday in a roadside bombing in western Iraq.

The bombing hit hard for many areas of the nation, perhaps none moreso than Ohio. That state has lost 14 Marines since Monday, including Tim Bell, who lived in North Bend, near Cincinnati.

"This will pass," Bell said. "[My brother's] doing fine, though. He seems to be doing OK.

"I don't even compare this [to baseball]. The Big Guy upstairs, he seems to put something in front of us that puts things in perspective when we need it the most."

The Royals honored Tim Bell with a moment of silence prior to the national anthem on Friday night. No services have been announced yet.

"I guess the Marines plan everything," Bell said, "so it'll take a while."

ROYALS TRIVIA QUESTION

Bret Saberhagen led the Royals in wins and complete games during the team's 1985 championship season, with 20 and 10, respectively. Who was second in each of those categories? (See answer below)

DEJESUS OK AFTER COLLISION

Just one day after he took a knee to the forehead, suffering a concussion during a game in Boston, David DeJesus was penciled in to the leadoff spot in the Royals' lineup as the team's centerfielder for Friday's game against the A's.

DeJesus suffered the concussion during the third inning of the Royals' 11-9 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday afternoon when he slid into shortstop Edgar Rentaria's knee at second on a stolen base attempt -- he was successful.

DeJesus left the game, but didn't go to the hospital or have any precautionary X-rays. After a little rest, he appears to be back to normal.

"I feel great," DeJesus said. "I feel amazing now, much better than [Thursday]. I was pretty much out of it then, but I was able to get all my bearings back and I'm ready to go."

As for the pain he went through after sustaining the injury, well, that's another story.

"It got me right here," DeJesus said as he pressed a hard area on his forehead above his right eye. "It hurt and I tried to stay in the game, but I didn't have the energy I had before and my reaction time wasn't as good."

SCORING CHANGE

After review of the Royals' loss to the Sox on Thursday, second baseman Ruben Gotay has been charged with only one error, not two.

Gotay was originally charged with two errors on Alex Cora's fourht-inning grounder, one on a bobble and another on his throw. The change does not affect the number of earned runs allowed.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Charlie Leibrandt notched 17 wins and eight complete games during the historic 1985 season. Leibrandt is scheduled to be in attendance for the team's 20th anniversary reunion weekend Aug. 12-14.

FARM REPORT

Matt Diaz was named the Pacific Coast League's Player of the Week for July 25-31 after he batted .606 (20-for-33) with seven doubles, two triples, two homers and eight RBIs. ... Omaha beat Las Vegas, 6-3, on Thursday behind a three-run homer from Calvin Pickering. ... Ryan Baerlocher turned in a three-hit shutout to lead Double-A Wichita to an 11-0 win over Tulsa. ... Class A High Desert scored five runs in the first inning off Rancho Cucamonga to cruise to an 8-3 lead, helping High Desert to build their divisional lead to two games. ... Class A Burlington took a 16-2 pounding at the hands of Lansing. ... Rookie League Idaho Falls lost to Orem, 4-2. Chris Nicoll, the Royals' third-round draft pick, made his professional debut and struck out three over two shutout innings. ... Rookie League Arizona was shut out by the Padres, 6-0.

ON DECK

Right-hander Jose Lima (4-9, 6.58 ERA) and A's righty Joe Blanton (6-9, 4.29) sqaure off as the Royals continue their three-game weekend set with Oakland at 6:10 p.m. CT on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will receive a camouflage floppy cap in honor of Military Appreciation Day.

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Castillo released