Never mind the fact that he had just tossed a perfect game to propel James Ford Rhodes High School (Cleveland) to the Senate Athletic League championship -- Perez had to rush back downtown for graduation.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Juan Perez watched his first baseman scoop up the grounder and step on the bag.

A stampede of Perez's teammates then knocked the pitcher to the ground in celebration. Perez propped himself to his feet, hurried home, showered and changed clothes.

Never mind the fact that he had just tossed a perfect game to propel James Ford Rhodes High School (Cleveland) to the Senate Athletic League championship -- Perez had to retrieve his proper attire and rush back downtown for graduation.

"I've never moved that fast in my life," Perez said, laughing, while taking in Indians batting practice at Progressive Field on Thursday. He, his head coach and two teammates earned a return trip to the ballpark to meet the players as a reward for their conquest.

Perez, who moved to Northeast Ohio from Puerto Rico prior to his senior year of high school, blanked rival Lincoln West in the title bout on May 20. Lincoln West had defeated Rhodes in the championship game in each of the last three seasons.

"The perfect game was like a great cherry on top, but it was definitely about the championship," said head coach Phil Gary.

Progressive Field hosts the conference's title game each spring. Rhodes' team used the Indians' dugout. The players and coaches spilled out of it when Lincoln West's cleanup hitter chopped Perez's curveball on the outside part of the plate toward first base with two outs in the seventh and final inning.

Perez, who plans to major in accounting and play baseball at Cuyahoga Community College this fall, said he didn't even realize he was throwing a perfect game until the final frame.

"The last inning, when I was walking up to the mound, I saw the score," Perez said. "I was amazed. I was like, 'It's the seventh inning already?' And then I saw all of the zeroes. I didn't want to think about it. I just wanted to get it over with."

His teammates kept mum as the contest unfolded.

"Nobody said anything," Gary said. "We were just playing it cool. That last out, it was, 'Can you believe what that kid did here? On this stage right here?'"

There wasn't much time to celebrate, of course. A cap and gown awaited.

"You always fantasize about doing such a thing," Perez said, "but you never expect to do it. It was a dream come true."

Wright State: An explainer on the cost of intercollegiate sports at Wright State University, and the source of the money that pays the bills.

DAYTON, Ohio - Wright State University, like fellow Horizon League member Cleveland State, does not field a football team.

This helps to explain why Wright State has the smallest athletic budget among the 11 Ohio public universities competing in Division I sports.

Wright State spent $11.2 million on sports in 2013-14; Cleveland State, $11.4 million. By comparison, each Ohio Mid-American Conference school spent at least twice as much. Ohio State spent 10 times as much.

Yet, even with the smallest budget in the state, the WSU athletic department can't pay the bills on its own, just like every other public university in the state with the exception of Ohio State.

Wright State's sports program received $8.4 million in direct institutional support in 2013-14, representing about $600 for every student on campus, the latest NCAA data show.

The college sports bill

This is one in a series of summaries detailing the finances of Division I sports at Ohio's 11 public universities, based on a Northeast Ohio Media Group analysis of the most recent five years of NCAA reports for each school. Private schools Dayton and Xavier declined to share their reports. Read also:

• Spending across Ohio up faster than overall college costs; trends and issues examined.
• School-by-school summaries.

The direct institutional support, which according to the NCAA form can include money from tuition, work-study programs and the state, covered three-fourths of Wright State's athletic budget in 2013-14.

Money generated by the athletic department included donations ($460,249); royalties, licensing and advertisements ($411,910); payments for away games ($318,500); and ticket sales ($271,561).

Wright State University logoWright State University 

On the spending side, full or partial scholarships for 228 athletes on 16 sports teams totaled $2.7 million.

Coaches, staff and administrators were paid $4.2 million in salary and benefits.

This included $2 million for coaches, tops among them being head coaches for men's basketball ($348,274) and women's basketball ($212,033). Salary and pay for each of the other head coaches were each below $90,000.

Wright State's athletic expenses were up 14 percent over the five years examined by NEOMG. That was among the lowest rates of growth among the 11 public schools in Ohio.

Wright State athletic teams

Men's sports (7): Baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis.

Women's sports (9): Basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track, outdoor track and volleyball.

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It was only a matter of time, but the Cavaliers finally reached a trade agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers to send center Brendan Haywood and wing Mike Miller to the Pacific Northwest. In return, Cleveland will get a $10.5 million trade exception and a $2.85 trade exception. The exceptions expire a year from now. They...

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It was only a matter of time, but the Cavaliers finally reached a trade agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers to send center Brendan Haywood and wing Mike Miller to the Pacific Northwest.

In return, Cleveland will get a $10.5 million trade exception and a $2.85 trade exception. The exceptions expire a year from now. They also sent out their 2019 second round pick and 2020 second round pick as part of the package.

The Cavaliers had a deadline of Aug. 1 to trade or release Haywood before his salary for the 2015-16 season became guaranteed. Portland will waive Haywood before the guaranteed deadline.

Haywood's departure was inevitable. He played a grand total of 119 minutes for the club last season. The shocker of the transaction is Miller's involvement.

Statistically, all across the board, Miller just endured the worst season of his 15-year NBA career.

A league source says Miller approved the trade, as he wanted to play for a team where he would have a chance to see significant minutes. Miller will seek a buyout from the rebuilding Trail Blazers to pursue a team that will promise him a spot in a rotation.

Miller exercised his $2.8 million player option for next season at the end of June.

He is a great friend of LeBron James. The four-time MVP recruited Miller last offseason to provide shooting assistance, but he never found his shooting stroke and David Blatt was reluctant to commit playing time to the veteran.

I'm told James understand Miller's situation and is "OK with the move." He was not OK with the Miami Heat when they traded Miller to Memphis in the summer of 2013 in order to avoid major luxury tax penalties.

Times have changed.

"He did really well at Ohio State. He was the best DB out there," Tedondo said. "Like, right now, they want his commitment as soon as possible. They will be calling Patrice (Monday) as a staff. They want to give him a call and try to convince him, to make sure that he made the right decision."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Three-star cornerback Patrice Rene of Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal was in Columbus for Friday Night Lights last week. Now he's set to reveal if Columbus will be his permanent home next year. 

According to Todderick Hunt of NJ.com, Rene is down to Ohio State and Rutgers and will announce his college decision on Aug. 8. 

Hunt spoke with Victor Tedondo, the founder of Gridiron Academy in Ottawa and Rene's mentor. Tedondo told NJ.com that Rutgers is the favorite to land the 6-foot-1, 180-pound prospect. Ohio State, though, isn't out of the picture just yet. 

Though Tedondo said Rene tried to issue Rutgers a verbal commitment, the Scarlet Knights wanted to wait for the defensive back to go to Friday Night Lights before they accepted the pledge. 

Rene was a top performer at Friday Night Lights, which may have opened Ohio State up to the idea of accepting Rene in the 2016 recruiting class despite the fact the Buckeyes are running out of room. Remember, Ohio State already has 19 commitments in the 2016 class. 

Ohio State has the chance to turn up the heat on Rene and Rutgers. 

"He did really well at Ohio State. He was the best DB out there," Tedondo said. "Like, right now, they want his commitment as soon as possible. They will be calling Patrice (Monday) as a staff. They want to give him a call and try to convince him, to make sure that he made the right decision."

Rated the No. 33 cornerback in the 2016 recruiting class, Rene also has offers from North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee and others. 

To read all of Tedondo's comments on Rene, be sure to check out Hunt's story on NJ.com. 

Cleveland Cavaliers set up to make deals during the season thanks to adding two trade exceptions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cavaliers notebook about trade exceptions, J.R. Smith and Matthew Dellavedova:

1. General Manager David Griffin decided to wait. That's what was behind the trades of Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller to Portland for two different trade exceptions. In the next 12 months, the Cavs can use the Haywood exception ($10.5 million) to acquire a player. The same with the Miller exception ($2.8 million). But they can't be put together.

2. Here's how it worked a year ago: The Cavs had the contract of a player named Keith Bogans. They traded it for a $5.2 million exception during the summer of 2015. It took them four second-round picks and a variety of moves to do so. In January, they traded Oklahoma City's first-round pick and a first-round pick from Memphis to Denver for Timofey Mozgov.

3. Mozgov was paid $4.6 million, meaning he fit into the $5.2 million trade exception. The Cavs also received a 2015 second-round pick in the deal. But without the trade exception, no Mozgov for the Cavs.

4. The Cavs believe teams are more open to deals in the middle of the season. For example, the Knicks were disillusioned, they were ready to dump J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert for salary cap relief. The Cavs used Dion Waiters in a three-way deal with Oklahoma City to acquire Smith and Shumpert. Two days later, they added Mozgov.

5. The NBA salary cap rules are like the IRS code or NCAA regulations. You need several accountants and lawyers to figure them out and put together deals.

6. Cavs fans just need to know that Griffin and his staff have positioned the team to make more moves during the season, if needed. Or even during the 2016 draft. The two trade exceptions last for 12 months.

7. Like any wise general manager, Griffin doesn't want to be in a position where he's out of options. The Cavs major salary cap issues makes it very hard for them to make trades. The "exceptions" are just that -- exceptions to salary cap. So Griffin has TWO moves available during the season.

8. The Cavs can re-sign J.R. Smith without using any of their trade exceptions. That's because he's their own free agent. You can go over the cap to keep your own guys.

9. Most NBA teams consider Smith too volatile. They believe he had a pretty good season with the Cavs because he was nearing free agency and the Cavs had strong veteran leadership with LeBron James, etc. Maybe someone else will sign Smith, but he'd be wise just to come to some sort of one-year deal with the Cavs. Playing in Cleveland puts him in the best position to have a good season and then hit the market for the "Money Summer" of 2016 when the salary cap rises at least 30 percent.

10. The trades of Haywood and Miller saved the Cavs millions in the luxury tax department. But that was not the main reason for the deals. It was to add the exceptions and create future trade opportunities. Consider a year ago. The Cavs thought they had a very good roster when the season opened. But Waiters was a poor fit at shooting guard. Miller's game collapsed. The Cavs needed to become more athletic and needed another big guy after Anderson Varejao was injured.

11. I thought Griffin should have been the NBA's Executive of the Year not for James returning or the Kevin Love deal. But for his mid-season additions of Mozgov, Shumpert and Smith. Those deals sparked the team to the NBA Finals. James also saw the front office step up to fix holes in the roster.

12. Golden State's Bob Myers won the Executive of the Year award. His best move was hiring Steve Kerr as coach. He kept Klay Thompson rather than trade him for Kevin Love. Griffin and former Atlanta GM Danny Ferry both made bigger impacts on their franchises than did Myers in Golden State. The voting is done before The Finals, so winning the title was not the reason that Myers was honored.

13. In my Cavs weekend notes, I wrote how I expected Matthew Dellavedova to sign the $1.1 million qualifying offer. He did so. But Delly also will be RESTRICTED in the summer of 2016, meaning the Cavs can match any offer he receives.

Browns coach Mike Pettine re-iterated that Josh McCown is still the likely starter on opening day, but he cautioned that it's still early.

BEREA, Ohio -- The No. 2 on Johnny Manziel's back still matches his spot on the depth chart heading into camp, but coach Mike Pettine made no guarantees Monday that Josh McCown will be his opening day starter.

"The repetitions will (still) be handled that way, with Josh as the one,'' Pettine said in an informal meeting with beatwriters. "Now, I wouldn't say I'm guaranteeing today that Josh McCown is going to be the starter against the Jets. A lot can happen in a preseason. If guys are getting the two's reps and all of a sudden they're playing really well and the guy with the starters, you're maybe not pleased with  --- and you start to mix those reps as we go on.

"At all positions, it's a fluid situation. But for now, if we had a game this weekend, he'd be the starter, but I'm not going to commit beyond that.''

 Pettine said he's essentially saying the same thing he did in May, when he declared McCown the favorite to start the season. But he left the door open a crack for Manziel to surprise everyone nonetheless.

"I wouldn't rule it out (Manziel starting), but if I had to say 'will Josh McCown likely be our day one starter' to answer that question, I would say he would likely be, but I don't want to say he is,'' said Pettine. "I don't want to guarantee it.''

Pettine indicated that the starter will be evident by the about the second or third preseason game. Typically, the third exhibition game is dress rehearsal for the opener, which is Sept. 13 on the road against the New York Jets.

"I really haven't given it that much thought,'' said Pettine. "I'm just ready for camp to get going....I think you'll have a pretty good sense of who are starters are going to be once we get to preseason weeks 2 and 3.

Pettine was encouraged by the fact that Manziel sought help last week from quarterback expert and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, who saw the magic in Manziel at Texas A&M and reportedly urged the Raiders to draft him in the first round of the 2014 draft. The quarterbacks reported to camp Monday and will practice with the full squad for the first time on Thursday, when camp opens to the public.

"I think it's positive,'' said Pettine. "Anytime you have a player that wants to during his downtime seek out somebody that is well-respected in the business to want to improve himself, I don't know how many players in the league went for extra work. This was vacation time for a lot of guys. So the fact that he sought out Jon and went down there and worked with him and was thinking about football. to me, I see that as nothing but a positive.''

Pettine said he's seen progress in Manziel despite the fact he's learning John DeFilippo's new scheme.

"He made some real positive steps, but I think it's hard to do that when you're learning a new system,'' he said. "We're not in pads. A lot of the stuff Flip was running weren't even necessarily things he would call in a game. ...So I would say he did a heckuva lot more good things in the spring than he did bad things and I think we'll see that improvement.

"Hopefully we see that improvement from the whole quarterback room. I'm very confident in Flip and (quarterbacks coach) Kevin O'Connell, the guys coaching them, and time will tell. That group's going to be coached hard. it'll be upsetting if they're not improving as a group as the camp goes on.''

Pettine said that while Manziel is the clearcut No. 2, there is no set No. 3 or No. 4 with Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis.

"That spot will essentially be earned through play,'' Pettine said.

Pettine didn't grapple much with keeping McCown, a 12-year veteran, ahead of Manziel coming out of the offseason. The tape showed he's clearly ahead of the former Heisman Trophy winner. He's also passed for almost 11,000 more NFL yards.

"I'd say there is just from an experience standpoint,'' said Pettine. "I think they both have it in their skillset to help us win games. I think it's different. Josh's skillset obviously is very different from Johnny's and we would have to tailor the gameplan just like you would to any other quarterback. What does he do well? What plays in our inventory do we want to highlight when he's in there? What ones do we want to stay away from? But I think having been with Flip before and having been in NFL offenses, I just think from an experience standpoint he's that much further ahead.''

 Pettine acknowledged that it's hard to compare the the two passers.

"Manziel just from a mobility standpoint, I think some of the stuff that puts him on the run, the sprint passes, the boot passes, even some of the quarterback run stuff (is his skillset), whereas McCown is more of your traditional pocket passer,'' said Pettine. "But when you say that, when you've watched him play, I think he's a better athlete than people give him credit for. Not that we would run quarterback runs with him in there or put him on the move as much, but it's something that he's certainly capable of.''

Pettine agreed with DeFilippo that Manziel must improve his accuracy. During camp last year and offseason practices this year, Manziel has put far too many balls on the ground.

"To play quarterback in the NFL, you have to be accurate,'' said Pettine. "That's what Flip and Kevin talk about all the time: strike-point accuracy. And that's something that we want to increase with all of our quarterbacks. You've also got to look at the situation sometimes. Who he's throwing to? Was the route wrong? Was the ball dropped? How accurate was it? So our numbers probably might end up being different than just kind of the 'hey was it complete, was it not complete.' So we have a way of evaluating it, but it's important. You have to be accurate in the NFL because as we all know, the windows to throw in are much tighter.''

He vowed not to scrutinize  Manziel just because he spent 10 weeks in inpatient rehab at an addiction treatment center in the offseason. So far, Manziel's had a quiet summer, except for one bottle-throwing incident that was seemingly overblown.

"We're not going to micromanage our players,'' Pettine said. "We felt very comfortable with his plan and we weren't going to hover over him and make sure he was doing the right thing. He's a professional athlete. The position coaches here and there, they keep tabs on their guys and I did not spend one day of my vacation, it never popped into my head, 'hmmm, I wonder where Johnny is right now and what he's doing?'''

For the Browns, that's a good sign. And a major prerequisite for No. 2 someday becoming No. 1.

Pettine addressed a number of other issues during the 40-minute session:

* He said he won't rule out Terrelle Pryor as a quarterback down the road, but "I want him to focus 1,000 percent on receiver.''

* On Pryor making the switch from quarterback to receiver: "From an athletically-gifted skillset (standpoint) I think he can do it.''

* On Pryor trying tight end too: "Given how the league has changed, that line has really blurred.''

* On Justin Gilbert rebounding from his rough rookie season: "So far so good. It falls into the 'time will tell' category.''

* On the report of a rift between him and general manager Ray Farmer: "We're singing out of the same hymnal. To say there's a rift or a tug of war or a power struggle, that would be completely inaccurate.''

* He said rookie Vince Mayle (surgically-repaired thumb) will be able to catch passes from day one and that center Alex Mack will be full-go for camp.

* On his own job security: "I don't think about it.''

* On everyone picking the Browns to finish fourth in the division: "One had us fifth.''

Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Monday's series opener between Cleveland and Kansas City.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Monday's series opener between Cleveland and Kansas City.

Pitching matchup: Cody Anderson (2-1, 1.91 ERA) vs. Edinson Volquez (9-5, 3.15)

Lineups

Indians

1. 2B Jason Kipnis

2. SS Francisco Lindor

3. LF Michael Brantley

4. DH David Murphy

5. 1B Carlos Santana

6. RF Brandon Moss

7. C Yan Gomes

8. CF Michael Bourn

9. 3B Giovanny Urshela

Royals

1. SS Alcides Escobar

2. 3B Mike Moustakas

3. CF Lorenzo Cain

4. 1B Eric Hosmer

5. DH Kendrys Morales

6. C Salvador Perez

7. RF Alex Rios

8. 2B Omar Infante

9. LF Jarrod Dyson

Get live updates and chat in the comments section below with beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Indians and Royals begin their three-game series at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get live updates and chat in the comments section below with beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Indians and Royals begin their three-game series at Progressive Field. 

Game 98: Indians (45-52) vs. Royals (59-38)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7.

Terrelle Pryor still believes he can play quarterback, but Mike Pettine wants him to focus completely on his new receiver position for now.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine envisions the day when Terrelle Pryor can serve as his emergency third QB. But for now, he just wants him to learn how to catch the darn football.

"It's a situation where he's bounced around,'' Pettine said. "(Offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) Flip had him and we talked about it. I'm not going to eliminate that, but I'm not going to sit here and say, 'hey, there's a chance.' I want him to focus 1,000 percent on wide receiver, and if the circumstances change, then they change.''

Pettine and DeFilippo are concerned that if Pryor still has quarterback on the brain, the ball might clang off his hands.

"As of right now, that's why he's here and (receiver is) the position,'' said Pettine. "When you start worrying about being the combo platter and 'maybe I'll still be a quarterback,' then he's going to have a hard time making it at the other spot. I'm not going to close the door on it, but for now, he's a wide receiver. Plus, I don't want a quarterback wearing No. 87."

Pryor, who started at quarterback for Ohio State from 2008-10, said in an interview in June that he's "going to give this slash deal a chance,'' as in quarterback/wide receiver. But there will be no slash when the inaugural depth chart comes out next month.

"I don't want to put the cart before the horse with him,'' said Pettine. "He's got to make the roster. I've been a part of that before. When I was in New York, we had Brad Smith, who had been a college quarterback that was able to wear a lot of different hats for us. I don't think it's fair to Terrelle at this point to try to cast him that way, but I certainly see the benefit as does Flip to having that type of athlete on your roster.''

What's more, if Pryor can cut it as a receiver, the Browns can use him as an emergency third quarterback on gameday.

"Last year it was (Taylor Gabriel and Andrew Hawkins),'' said Pettine. "I'd rather have a 6-4 guy doing it than a 5-7 guy. But that's all stuff for down the road. He's got to prove that he can make this football team at a new position first before we start to worry about how are we going to use this guy."

As for Pryor (6-4, 233) playing tight end, that's a more realistic possibility in the early going.

"Given how the league has changed, that line has really blurred,'' Pettine said. "He might be wide receiver on the flip card, but some of the roles he might be playing could potentially be more tight end. Just like (Rob) Housler. Housler's listed as a tight end. Are we going to give him some wide-receiver type jobs? Absolutely. We're always looking for those hybrid-type guys. That makes it hard on a defense. Just like it makes it hard on an offense when you can have a guy that has linebacker skills, but he can play some safety-type roles or kick down and be a defensive-end type. When you can blur the lines between traditional positions, I think that's always beneficial."

Claiming Pryor off waivers from the Bengals was a no-brainer for the Browns, who were awarded him on June 22. He's big, fast (low 4.3s) and athletic. What's more, he played quarterback for DeFilippo in 2012 and 2013 in Oakland, and Flip knows his incredible work ethic and drive. If it doesn't work out, the Browns are essentially out nothing. Pryor is under contract for only $660,000 in 2016.

"When the opportunity presented itself, we just saw here's a young man who's an explosive athlete and you're always looking to add those types of players to your team,'' said Pettine. "He was a very productive college quarterback, flashed somewhat as an NFL quarterback and given the history with Flip having him and knowing the kid, I think he got to this point where he's committed he's going to play receiver. We're going to throw him right into the mix.

"I know that's not an easy transition, but if anybody has the skillset to do it, he does. We're looking forward to getting him here. We didn't have him at all, obviously for the spring, so that's very much a big unknown. But we're looking forward to throwing him out there in the mix and seeing what he can do."

Pettine acknowledged it will be a tall task for the big man to learn the position -- and a new offense -- in such a compressed time-frame. But one thing working in his favor is the fact he knows DeFilippo's offense from studying it so hard in 2012-13.

"It will be a challenge because you lose the foundation,'' said Pettine. "When you hear the install once and then you go through it again in phase two and then you're getting it again in phase three and you're going back through it, there's no substitute for that meeting time and those repetitions. So he'll be playing catchup. But the fact that he's been a quarterback and has an understanding of offensive systems, quarterbacks are usually asked from a knowledge standpoint that they need to know pretty much what everybody's doing. Given his knowledge base and having been in Oakland with Flip, a lot of the concepts will carry over. I think that will help him some as opposed to somebody that wasn't in those circumstances."

Pettine already received good reviews on Pryor from quarterback Josh McCown, who worked with him at the Randy Moss Academy last week in Charlotte, N.C., where McCown lives.

"From an athletically-gifted standpoint, he has the skillset to do it,'' said Pettine. "This is a big guy that can run, and from what I understand has good hands. But we'll see. To add him to the roster from our perspective, it was low risk and potential high reward."

First time. Catching this week from a NFL quarterback on actual routes and we cleaned it u... https://t.co/PUkF0TOL0K pic.twitter.com/kAF6skN9jG

— Terrelle Pryor (@TerrellePryor) July 24, 2015

Second baseman Jason Kipnis said Indians players have to hold each other "accountable." Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Second baseman Jason Kipnis said his comments about "accountability' following the Indians team meeting Sunday had nothing to do with manager Terry Francona.

After the Indians 2-1 loss to the White Sox on Sunday, a loss that completed a four-game sweep, Francona called a team meeting. Following the meeting, Kipnis made several comments to reporters about how poorly the Indians are playing. Among them was "nobody is held accountable."

"That comment had nothing to do with Tito," said Kipnis on Monday before the Indians opened a three-game series against the Royals. "Tito is our manager. He's not a babysitter. When I talk about holding people accountable that's strictly players holding other players accountable.

"We have a bunch of young adults who are supposed to be considered men. Tito treats us like men so he thinks we should at least be able to do this stuff on our own. Maybe he was giving us too much credit at the time. Maybe that's the only thing you could blame him for . . .that he gave us too much credit.

"It had nothing to do with him."

When Francona was asked if he took Kipnis' remark on a reflection of how he's has managed, he said, "He explained it to you. He didn't mean it like that. So why would you ask that?

"So no, to your question, no. Although I do feel I need to be accountable for everything. This hasn't gone the way it needs to go. We will make it change. Sometimes it's harder than we want it to be, but we'll figure it out.

"I will never stop believing that."

Kipnis said that players haven't held each other accountable is a reflection on him and other team leaders.

"It's actually a reflection on me, (Michael) Brantley, (Corey) Kluber, Yan (Gomes) . . .some of the guys who are leading this team," said Kipnis. "Hey there are other people to worry about besides just yourself. You have other guys who are looking up to you and other guys who need your help. That's what I meant by it . . .strictly players calling other players out.

"Even I read something about Tito having lost the clubhouse. That's not the case at all. I think maybe he was just giving us too much credit."

The Indians (45-52) entered Monday's game a season high 14 games out of first place in the AL Central. They are 6 1/2 games out of the second wild card with seven teams in front of them.

Their offense is dead in the water.  They rank 12^th in runs, 14^th in homers and 14^th in runners left on base in the American League. They do rank first in walks.

Kipnis said he was concerned that hitting coaches Ty Van Burkleo and Matt Quatraro could lose their jobs.

"I hate seeing a hitting coach being a scapegoat," said Kipnis. "They're not the ones who lace on the cleats. They're not the ones who are in the batter's box. If I get out, Ty didn't get out. I got out.

"If I swing at a stupid pitch that's my fault not his. He's there to help and (make) adjustments."

Trade winds: Fox Sports reported that the Angels are interest in outfielder David Murphy. The deadline for making trades before the non-waiver deadline is 4 p.m. Friday.

It's believed several contenders have talked to the Indians about Murphy.

"I've never really been in a serious position (for a trade) before this year," said Murphy. "But in terms of this year, it's not anything new. We've talked about this since before spring training."

Murphy is hitting .297 (60-for-202) with 12 doubles, five homers and 27 RBI. He's done a great job as pinch-hitter, batting .308 (8-for-26) with three homers and seven RBI.

Staying sharp: Roberto Perez, the Indians second catcher, has thrown out 33 percent (12-for-26) of the baserunners who have challenged him this year. It's a good percentage for a catcher no playing every day.

"I work with Sandy Alomar throwing to the bases twice a week," said Perez. "We've been working really hard on my footwork in the batting cages. I do that about twice a week and before every game I play.

"The work I've been doing has paid off."

Extra pick: The Indians earned an extra pick for next year's draft in the competitive balance lottery earlier this month. They won the second pick in Round B, which will come right after the competition of the second round.

As for this year's draft, the Indians went five percent over their signing bonus pool of $7,234,200. The Indians have to pay a tax over the excess, but will not lose a draft pick in 2016.

Finally: Nick Swisher will DH at Class AA Akron on Monday night. He's then expected to go to Class AAA Columbus to continue his rehab assignment. . . Johnny Cueto, acquired over the weekend from Cincinnati, will join the Royals on Tuesday in Cleveland. He's scheduled to make his first start Friday against Toronto . . .The Indians are 19-30 at home for a .388 winning percentage. It's the second lowest home winning percentage in the big leagues next to Texas at .381 . . .Francisco Lindor leads the Indians with 14 hits since the All-Star break.

Browns coach MIke Pettine says he and GM Ray Farmer work very well together and are on the same page most of the time.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns Mike Pettine said Monday that reports of a rift between him and Browns general manager Ray Farmer are inaccurate.

The report, on espncleveland.com, pointed to the departure of player engagement director Jamil Northcutt -- one of Farmer's hires -- as a sign of trouble in paradise.

But Pettine said the two are actually in harmony this season after working through some of their issues in the offseason. Farmer has been suspended for the first four games of the season for sending impermissible in-game texts to staff members, including those containing unsolicited opinions on the use of personnel and strategy.

"I think it was that late summer slow news day,'' Pettine kidded about the report. "The unfortunate thing is this; when you don't win, when you have the history, or not so recent history of the Browns, to me there's not much credibility there. You can take an individual event (the Northcutt departure) and extrapolate that out so it has a negative connotation to it. That was the disappointing part of that. The truth is Ray and I work very well together. Do we bat 1,000 on our decisions when it comes to personnel? We don't, but it's pretty close to it.''

Pettine pointed to a solid 2015 draft, and a good free agency period that resulted in the acquisition of players such as former Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe, former Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline and former Packers cornerback Tramon Williams. The two have grown close enough for Pettine to invite Farmer to join him recently at the Lake Erie Islands, where he vacationed this year.

"When you look at the roster moves we've made, from the beginning here, though this past draft and even adding Terrelle Pryor here, right up to some of the things we're doing now around camp, we're singing from the same hymnal virtually on every decision,'' said Pettine. "To say we agree on everything would not be accurate, but to say there's a rift or a power struggle or a tug of war, that would be completely inaccurate."

On low expectations: Pettine has maintained a sense of humor over the fact that most experts are picking the Browns to finish fourth in the division.

"One had us fifth,'' he quipped. "Call the league. Cancel the season. We use it, but to me that also speaks to the quality of the division we're in. The Steelers have made some changes and are explosive on offense. Their youth on defense. Baltimore - it would be hard to place them lower than first or second given their continuity and how consistent they've been. And Cincinnati, they're all coming off playoff seasons. How do you put us anywhere but there?

"But that's fine. "Think of us that way - go ahead. We're a fourth place team and you look at the Browns on the schedule and 'Hey, I can go ahead and put a W right next to it, but to me that only works in our favor."

Injury update: Rookie receiver Vince Mayle (surgically-repaired thumb) and center Alex Mack (leg) are expected to be full-go at start of camp. Pettine said he'll provide the full medical update later in the week.

Roster move: The Browns have waived undrafted rookie defensive lineman Tory Slater, who joined the club via waivers from Seattle June 2.

The Indians have been outscored, 42-13, in losing seven straight home games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- First baseman Eric Hosmer went 3-for-5 with a homer, four RBI and three runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians, 9-4, Monday night at Progressive Field. Kansas City designated hitter Kendrys Morales was 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Tribe right-hander Cody Anderson allowed seven runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Tribe shortstop Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer in the seventh to account for the final margin.  

Here is a capsule look at the game. No DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast is necessary:

Harsh reality: Here are some of the reasons the Royals won and the Indians lost:

1. Kansas City is considerably better -- and playing much, much better at the moment -- than the Tribe.

The Royals (60-38) are in first place by plenty in the AL Central. They have won eight of 12 since the All-Star break. They are focused on nothing less than a second straight trip to the World Series, preferably capped by a victory.

The Indians (45-53) are in last place in the Central. They have lost five straight, all at home, by a combined margin of 35-9. They are dazed and confused.

2. One team thrives against divisional opponents; the other does not.

The Royals are 25-15 against the AL Central; the Indians, 14-27. The Royals lead the season series, 6-4.

3. Road/home doesn't matter.

The Royals improved to 26-20 on the road. They are a young, tight-knit, hungry  group with postseason experience that knows how to manufacture runs, pitch late and defend. So it makes sense that they travel well.

The Indians slipped to 19-31 at home, including seven straight losses (combined margin: 42-13).

4. The Indians don't know how to begin a series.

They slipped to 9-24 in series openers overall, 2-15 at home.

5. Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer continued his power surge, and ridiculous  production, against the Indians this season.

Hosmer, a terrific all-around player, has been ultra-dangerous against the Tribe. In 10 games, he is 16-for-41 (.390) with four homers and 17 RBI.

Hosmer owns not one, not two, but three three-run homers in the first innings during the season series. He has done so in Royals victories in starts by Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber and Anderson.

On Monday, Hosmer's first plate appearance occurred with runners on first (Lorenzo Cain, walk) and second (Mike Moustakas, single) and one out. Fox SportsTime Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood said of Hosmer: "He's hit safely in eight straight games with a plate appearance. He's gone 15-for-31 during that stretch. So be careful here.''

Anderson threw a first-pitch fastball (93 mph) on the outside corner at the thighs. Hosmer dropped the barrel and zipped it into the bleachers in left-center for his 10th overall.

Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "Don't think Hosmer (didn't know) that Anderson would try to get ahead after the walk to Cain. And boy, was he ready for it.''

The homer was the 20th allowed by the Indians in the first inning. Think about that.

With none on and one out in the third, Hosmer grounded a first-pitch changeup to second.

With runners on first and third and one out in the fifth, Hosmer ripped a first-pitch cutter down and in into right for an RBI single.

With a runner on first and none out in the seventh, Hosmer faced lefty Marc Rzepczynski and hooked a 3-2 slider outside to right for a single.

6. Anderson is not fooling anyone anymore.

Anderson has made six MLB starts.

His combined line in the first four: 30 1/3 IP, 17 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 12 K.  

His combined line in the past two: 8 1/3 IP, 18 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.

Against the Brewers, then Royals, Anderson missed too many spots, particularly with the fastball.

7. The Indians can't hit with the bases loaded.

They entered the night with a .137 average with the bases loaded. The average went down after Lindor grounded into a fielder's choice to end the second.

The RubberDucks (53-50) are 6-6 since the All-Star break and currently are four games out of first place in the Western Division.

The RubberDucks' struggles at the plate returned Monday night as they managed only four hits in a 6-1 loss to the Bowie Baysox in a Class AA Eastern League game at Canal Park in Akron.

The Indians' Nick Swisher, in Akron on a rehab assignment because of inflammation in his left knee, was 0-for-3 and has gone 0-for-12 in four games with the RubberDucks.

Two of the RubberDucks' hits came in the fourth inning. Trailing, 3-0, they managed to load the bases with one out on Baysox right-hander Elih Villanueva on a single by designated hitter Anthony Gallas, a walk from outfielder Bryson Myles, and a single from first baseman Ronny Rodriguez. Outfielder Jordan Smith brought in a run on a groundout to short.

The RubberDucks did little else agains Villanueva (8-6, 2.65 ERA), who gave up one run on three hits in seven innings.

Akron starter Mike Clevinger (6-6, 3.01) lasted only 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits.

The RubberDucks (53-50) are 6-6 since the All-Star break and currently are four games out of first place in the Western Division.

"I don't really feel there's pressure," Johnson said. "There's kind of pressure, but not really because I don't have offers for no reason. There's something good I must be doing in order to get six offers in the eighth grade." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sam Johnson was one of the last players to walk out of Ohio Stadium after Friday Night Lights. Surprising, because it was probably past his bedtime. 

By the time he spoke to reporters, his phone rang twice. Was it his mom? 

"No," Johnson smiled. "She's over there." 

OK -- enough with the age jokes. But it's pretty unbelievable that Ohio State hosted Sam Johnson for camps multiple times this summer.

Why?

Because the prospect of Southfield, Mich., is a 2019 prospect. He hasn't been to high school yet. Until school starts up, he is technically a middle-schooler. 

And Johnson already has six scholarship offers, including one from Cincinnati. He's also heard from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State.

It's clear the 6-foot-3, 180-pound prospect is really good. Apparently all of those programs could tell from watching him dominate Little League. 

"I don't really feel there's pressure," Johnson said. "There's kind of pressure, but not really because I don't have offers for no reason. There's something good I must be doing in order to get six offers in the eighth grade." 

Johnson sounds confident, but what else is he supposed to say? There's a lot headed in his direction, starting with the idea that he's already trying to compete for the starting quarterback spot on Southfield's varsity team. 

After taking reps with the first team on 7-on-7s this summer, there's a good chance that's going to happen. Then it's all about performing, proving all the programs who have already offered him right. 

But it's also about accumulating more offers. Nothing against the scholarships he's already earned -- most of which are from MAC schools -- but he has his eyes on teams from the Big Ten, ACC and SEC. 

"Sometimes I'll just be thinking, 'Dang, I already have six offers and I havent even played high school yet or been in a high school classroom' and things like that," Johnson said. "If I get all the offers I want, that's when I'll start narrowing it down and probably make my commitment." 

The commitment is going to happen for a while. Why would it? 

That's why Ohio State's involvement in his recruitment is so interesting. The Buckeyes have the time to invest in Johnson, who could be the most recruited player in the country a few years from now.

Depth at quarterback has provided Ohio State with a nice security blanket.

That's how the rich get richer. 

Ohio State's current quarterback competition is unprecedented, sure, but this should be an annual theme. Meyer just signed two top quarterback prospects in the 2015 class in Torrance Gibson and Joey Burrow and has commitments from Tristen Wallace (2016) and Danny Clark (2017) in the following two classes. 

Urban Meyer, theoretically, should have no problems at quarterback for another seven years. Now with how college football works, why not make that a decade?

Here's to you, Kid. 

Ohio State hasn't offered Johnson yet, but the Buckeyes are laying the foundation to be one of his top programs all the way until he makes a decision. Johnson speaks with Buckeyes cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs weekly. Their relationship is already strong. 

At Friday Night Lights, Johnson worked with Cardale Jones. And Johnson has a Buckeyes connection -- he's cousins with former Buckeyes defensive lineman Johnathan Hankins. All of that's good for Ohio State. 

"It's a good school," Johnson said of Ohio State. "They have great coaches here and I like the academics here. I can see myself fitting in here." 

If Ohio State were to offer Johnson now, it would probably be a story on ESPN: "College powerhouse offers middle-schooler." Meyer isn't taking it that far yet. 

Johnson, though, has been in camp and Ohio State's coaching staff has coached him up -- pointing out everything from the steps he takes in his drop back to how he eyes down receivers as they run their routes. 

But there's a lot to do before the Ohio State offer comes. 

"They want to see me take some high school snaps," Johnson said, smiling. 

Naturally. 

For Ohio State, it has nothing to lose in investing the time in a prospect like Johnson right now. The quarterback position is all taken care of for the foreseeable future, so why not invest in a stock that's going to boom? 

Here's what Cody Anderson, Terry Francona, Michael Bourn and Francico Lindor had to say about Monday's loss to Kansas City. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The big leagues is a hard place to take by storm. Rookie Cody Anderson is finding that out.

Storm it he did through his first four starts since his promotion from Class AAA Columbus on June 21. Anderson went 2-1 with a 0.89 ERA. He allowed three earned runs in 30 1/3 innings with four walks and nine strikeouts.

He was big, strong and nobody could hit him. The Indians couldn't have been happier.

In his last two starts, Anderson is 0-1 and has allowed 11 earned runs on 17 hits in 8 1/3 innings. In Monday's 9-4 loss to the Royals, Anderson allowed seven runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

What happened against the Royals?

"I was trying to get my pitches down in the zone and haven't been making the pitches I want to make," said Anderson. "With two strikes I've been leaving the ball in the middle of the plate and they're hitting it."

On facing Kansas City's lineup, which swings early in the count.

"I knew from the scouting report that they'd come out swinging. Early in the count, I just didn't make my pitches down in the zone. Sometimes you can use that (their aggressiveness) against them if you can locate, but I didn't do that."

On giving up a three-run homer to Eric Hosmer in the first inning to put the Tribe in another early-inning hole.

"I didn't do my job. I let the team down. I've got five days to come back and do everything I can to put the team in position to win."

Manager Terry Francona

What did you see from Cody Anderson?

"He had a tough time getting his fastball down. He tried to go away against Hosmer and left the pitch up and over the plate. We've seen Hosmer do that a few times. That was the big damage early."

Explanation: Hosmer went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI Monday against the Tribe. It was his second four-RBI game of the season against the Indians. The Royals first baseman is hitting .390 (16-for-41) with four homers and 17 RBI against the Tribe this year.

On the Royals being aggressive on the first pitch

"They always are. We knew that coming in. I think Hosmer saw three pitches in his first three at-bats."

After Anderson hit Jarrod Dyson following Omar Infante's homer in the second, were you surprised that plate umpire Lance Barksdale warned both teams?

"I just thought the only guy who seemed a little excitable was Lance. They didn't seem excited. We're trying to get guys out. But they have a job to do. It's the first pitch after a guy hits a home run . . .but there was no intent there."

On Jason Kipnis trying to score from third in the first inning on David Murphy's fly ball to shallow center field.

"If I was coaching third, I would have sent him too. It was a really good throw. That's part of what they do, but I would have sent him too."

Explanation: Lorenzo Cain threw Kipnis out to end the inning on a double play.

On the lineup's approach, facing another early deficit, following Sunday's team meeting.

"I thought we had good energy. We got outplayed and that is going to happen. But we have to show up every day and continue to try and get better in every area of the game . . .myself included."

Francisco Lindor.

How is the team handling this losing streak?

"It's a tough moment. It's hard, but we're going to bounce back. It's just that right now, we're not playing the baseball that we know how to play. We're not moving runners. We're not driving in runners when there are people on third base and no one out or one out."

On your at-bat with two out and the bases loaded in the second.

"It was a great time for me to continue the rally, but I rolled over on a pitch and we were out of that inning. It was a big inning for Kansas City, but we're going to bounce back."

Explanation: Lindor, with the bases loaded, hit into force play at second base to end the inning. In the seventh, he hit a three-run homer. It was his fourth homer of the season.

Michael Bourn

On the Indians attitude facing the Royals on Monday following Sunday's team meeting.

"They're not an easy team to face. They got big hits at key times. But we still had energy today. We played with a little bit more energy.

"Confidence comes with winning. Winning cures everything. We just have to find a way to turn it around and play good baseball. We've got a little more than two months left."

Who else will find a new home prior to Friday's non-waiver trade deadline, which arrives at 4 p.m. ET? Here are the latest rumors from around Major League Baseball.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Cueto is a Royal. Scott Kazmir is an Astro. Shane Victorino is an Angel. Tyler Clippard is a Met. Troy Tulowitzki is a Blue Jay.

Who else will find a new home prior to Friday's non-waiver trade deadline, which arrives at 4 p.m. ET?

Here are the latest rumors from around Major League Baseball.

* The Angels acquired Victorino from the Red Sox, but the American League West division leaders still desire a left-handed bat, according to CBSSports.com. David Murphy could be a fit. Murphy is making $6 million this year and the Indians hold a $7 million option (or $500,000 buyout) on the veteran for next season.

* The Indians -- and a slew of other teams -- have been linked to Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez. FoxSports.com identified the Indians, Rangers, Giants and Astros as teams interested in the 29-year-old. Gomez is signed for $8 million this season and $9 million next year. He was an All-Star in 2013 and '14, but his numbers have dipped this season.

* Parity across the AL has several teams reportedly waiting until the last minute before they decide if they will buy, sell or stand pat. That includes the White Sox, winners of five straight, who could dangle right-hander Jeff Samardzija. The Tigers, who sit at 48-51, could pawn off a few pieces or make some acquisitions.

* The Rangers are attempting to both buy and sell, according to FoxSports.com. They have displayed interest in Phillies southpaw Cole Hamels, who has also been linked to the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Dodgers, Astros and Giants. They could also opt to part with hurler Yovani Gallardo.

* The Indians and Blue Jays had discussions about a deal revolving around right-hander Carlos Carrasco, but those talks tapered off, according to Sportsnet.ca. The Indians are open to listening on any player, but are most likely to deal Murphy or Ryan Raburn to a contender. The Dodgers and Red Sox also expressed interest in the Indians' crop of controllable starters.

* The Padres have emerged as sellers, despite an offseason overhaul and spending spree. They could unload pitchers Tyson Ross, Joaquin Benoit, James Shields, Ian Kennedy, Andrew Cashner, Craig Kimbrel or second baseman Jedd Gyorko.

* The Dodgers will listen to inquiries about outfielder Yasiel Puig, according to USA Today. Puig is batting .253 with a .750 OPS, six home runs and 22 RBIs in 217 plate appearances. He posted an .888 OPS in his first two big league seasons. The 24-year-old is signed through the 2018 campaign, at an average of $8.2 million per year.

* After they shipped Cueto to Kansas City, the Reds could move closer Aroldis Chapman or outfielder Jay Bruce. 

Cleveland sports fans have questions about Johnny Manziel's work with Jon Gruden and what the Indians' talk about in their team meetings. We pretend to have answers -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You Said It is based on the premise that the only thing Cleveland sports fans need more than a championship is a sense of humor...

YOU SAID IT

Bud: Now that Jon Gruden is prepping Johnny Manziel, is Frank Caliendo working on his Johnny Football impersonation, man? - Vince G, Cincinnati

Gruden the analyst loves working with young quarterbacks and trumpeting their bright futures in ways Gruden the coach never did. Probably just a coincidence.

Bud: What do the Indians' players discuss at their team meetings? The lowest airfares out of town? - Mal, North Ridgeville

Despite speculation to the contrary during the White Sox four-game sweep, they did not discuss original vs. extra crispy.

Hey Bud: Allen Iverson admitted last month that he was drunk when he did his famous "Practice" rant. This month he was quoted as saying " He would make a great general manager because of his extreme knowledge of basketball. He needs to stop drinking before he takes Adam Silver's job -- Ted, Concord

 I would like to take a stronger stand against alcohol consumption but I need reader contributions to this column.

Bud: Finally, a deal made to improve the team before the trade deadline. Good luck Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood - Dick Close

I still can't get over the fact that despite all the helpful suggestions from sports talk radio callers during LeBron's first tour of duty here, the Cavs didn't trade Ira Newble and Damon Jones for Tim Duncan.

Bud: Will the Cavs be able to get down to a 53-man roster before the season starts? - Michael Sarro

You Said It winners finally get called up from the developmental league.

Bud: The only thing the White Sox forgot this past weekend was their old softball uniforms -- Faybones

Some repeat winners hit for the cycle.

The Indians fell to 0-5 on this homestand with a 9-4 loss to Kansas City on Monday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Manager Terry Francona's ideal team meeting has a lasting affect. He doesn't want it to burn brightly for one night and fade away just as quickly.

"This isn't football," said Francona. "We have to play every day."

Well, in that regard Francona's team meeting Sunday worked well. The Indians certainly didn't come out of their dugout Monday night with their hair on fire.

In fact, except for home runs by Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor, they looked a lot like the Indians have looked this entire homestand. Yeah, that's right, they lost again, this time by a 9-4 score to the Royals at Progressive Field.

The Indians are 0-5 on this all-AL Central homestand. They lost four straight to Chicago and are 0-1 against the Royals. They have been outscored, 35-9.

Right-hander Cody Anderson (1-3, 3.26) for the second straight start pitched like a rookie. For the first four starts he pitched like a Cy Young winner, so it's hard to complain.

Anderson allowed a three-run homer to Eric Hosmer in the first to take the steam out of the recharged Indians. Hosmer finished with three hits and four RBI.

In his last two starts, Anderson has allowed 11 earned runs on 17 hits in 8 1/3 innings.

The Royals, 16-8 in July, just kept rolling. Omar Infante homered in the second, Kendrys Morales doubled home two runs in the fifth and they added two more in the seventh.

Santana gave the Indians early hope of hanging with the Royals with a long leadoff homer in the second. He hit it over the shrubs in center field, an estimated 433 feet from home plate. It was his 11th career homer against the Royals.

Lindor added a three-run homer in the seventh. 

Edinson Volquez (10-5, 3.21) went six innings for the win. He allowed three runs on six hits. The Indians squeezed him for five walks, but only turned two of them into runs.

Joe Blanton earned the save with three innings of relief.

What it means

The Indians (45-53) are 19-31 at home and 14-27 in the AL Central.

The Royals (60-38) are the first AL team to reach 60 wins and just the second in the big leagues. The other team is St. Louis, which says something about the quality of baseball being played in Missouri.

Kansas City is 26-20 on the road, 25-15 in the AL Central and 6-4 against the Indians this year.

Turning point

The Royals struck first on Hosmer's three-run homer in the first. Hosmer hit the first pitch he saw over the 19-foot wall in left center field for a 3-0 lead. The Indians never recovered.

It was Hosmer's fourth homer against the Indians this season. He has 17 RBI against them as well.

The Indians have been outscored, 68-36, in the first inning this year. The Royals, meanwhile, have outscored the opposition, 69-33, in the first inning.

Warning light

In the second, Infante hit his first homer of the season to give the Royals a 4-0 lead. This came on Anderson's first pitch as well.

Anderson hit Jarrod Dyson, the next batter, with another first pitch. Plate umpire Lance Barksdale warned both benches as catcher Yan Gomes and Dyson exchanged words. Gomes also appeared to be upset with Barksdale.

Francona came out to the plate to make sure Gomes wasn't ejected.

The homer by Infante was his first in 473 at-bats. He hit his last homer on Aug. 13, 2014.

Replay this

Alcides Escobar was originally called out at second base as he tried to stretch a single into a double to start the fifth inning. The Royals challenged the play and second base umpire Tom Woodring's out call was overturned.

Escobar's double started a three-run rally as the Royals stretched their lead to 7-1. Hosmer singled home Escobar and Morales doubled home Lorenzo Cain and Hosmer with a shot to the gap in right center.

Thanks for coming

The Royals and Indians drew a crowd of 13,611 to Progressive Field on Monday night. The Indians have drawn 887,105 in 50 home dates this year.

What's next?

RHP Trevor Bauer (8-7, 4.29) will face Kansas City RHP Chris Young (8-6, 3.32) Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. at Progressive Field. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

Bauer 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts against the Royals this year. He's 0-2 since the All-Star break, allowing five homers in two starts.

Young will be making his fourth appearance against the Tribe this season and second start. He's 0-1 against the Tribe this season and 2-1 in his career. The opposition is hitting .209 against Young this season.

Get live updates and chat in the comments section below with beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Indians and Royals continue their three-game series at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get live updates and chat in the comments section below with beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Indians and Royals continue their three-game series at Progressive Field. 

Game 99: Indians (45-53) vs. Royals (60-38)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7.