KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Trevor Crowe started a streak of four straight singles that led to a five-run eighth inning Thursday and rallied Cleveland to a 7-3 win over Kansas City.
The Royals had a 3-0 lead going into the eighth and Kyle Davies was coasting to an apparent win but Cleveland sent 11 men to the plate in the eighth, producing seven hits off three pitchers.
Crowe, Matt LaPorta, Jason Donald and Shelley Duncan had consecutive one-out singles to account for two runs. Michael Brantley drew a walk to load the bases, Asdrubal Cabrera had a sacrifice fly and Shin-Soo Choo produced an RBI single.
Travis Hafner drove in the last run of the inning with an infield hit. Cabrera doubled home one of Cleveland's two ninth-inning runs.
Rafael Perez (4-0) worked 1 1/3 innings of relief to get the victory. Chris Perez took the mound with Cleveland holding a 5-3 lead and recorded the final four outs for his 15th save.
Blake Wood (1-3) gave up the go-ahead run as the second of three pitchers in the eighth and absorbed the loss.
Cleveland moved within two games of Kansas City in its bid to escape the cellar in the American League Central. The Royals had won their previous three games.
