Four outs from a series victory over the defending American League champions, the Royals’ bullpen wobbled and then collapsed in a 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium.
Joakim Soria coughed up a 1-0 lead in the eighth. Kelvin Herrera surrendered back-to-back solo homers to Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor in the top of the ninth. In moments, a nearly perfect afternoon in Kansas City had been set ablaze.
Santana hammered a 2-0 fastball that hummed to the plate at 98 mph. Lindor yanked a 91 mph change-up into the bullpen in right field.