First baseman Matt LaPorta says he's learned a lot from his struggles this season.
UPDATED: 4:21 p.m.
Matt LaPorta believes he is making progress as a big-league hitter, even if his statistics are less encouraging.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Royals today in the final game of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
Kauffman Stadium dimensions: Left field line 330 feet, left center 387, center field 410, right center 385, right field line 330.
In-game notes:
Score: Royals 6, Indians 3 after six innings.
Big knock: Kila Ka'aihue hit a two-run double off reliever Aaron Laffey to give the Royals a 6-3 lead in the sixth. Josh Tomlin started the inning and gave up a single to Billy Butler and a double to Wilson Betemit. Laffey, in his first appearance since joining the team Saturday from Class AAA Columbus, came in and gave up the double to Ka'aihue.
20-20 man: Shin-Soo Choo hit his 20th homer in the first inning to give the Indians a 2-0 lead. Then he stole second in the third to give him 20 homers and 20 steals for the season.
It's the second straight year he's done 20-20. He's the second player to do it in the American League this year and the fifth overall. He joins Grady Sizemore, Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar as the only Indians players to do it more than once.
Add on: Luis Valbuena's RBI single in the second gave Tomlin a 3-0 lead, but it did not last.
The Royals scored four runs in the second to take a 4-3 lead. After loading the bases with one out, Tomlin walked Yuniesky Betancourt to force home one run. Mitch Maier tied it with a two-run single and Betancourt stole home on the front end of a double steal for the lead.
Flying Nun: Indians hitting coach Jon Nunnally holds the Kansas City franchise record for steals of home. He did it four times in 1995.
The lines: Tomlin allowed six runs on six hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out four. He threw 93 pitches, 63 strikes. Luke Hochevar allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings for the Royals. He struck out five and walked one on 101 pitches, 67 strikes.
Pre-game notes
Game 149: It has not been the best of seasons for first baseman Matt LaPorta. He hit his career first grand slam Saturday night to lead the Indians to a 6-4 victory over Kansas City, but there haven't been a lot of those moments in his first full year in the big leagues.
LaPorta entered Sunday's game hitting .220 (75-for-341) with 13 doubles, 11 homers and RBI. His OPS of .665 (.361 onbase percentage plus .304 slugging percentage) is not encouraging. Most baseball people consider a good OPS to be .800 or above.
"I think this season is helping me get better," said LaPorta. "Everything is
all good when you're swinging the bat well and you don't have to overcome anything. For me, it's nice to go through struggles, just because you can get better from those things.
"You can learn from your mistakes. You learn how to keep your head up through those tough times."
LaPorta, acquired from Milwaukee as part of the CC Sabathia trade in 2008, opened the year with the Indians by hitting .218 with one homer and seven RBI through 35 games. He was coming off surgery on his left hip and left big toe and wasn't playing every day when the year opened.
He was also sharing time at first base with Russell Branyan.
The Indians optioned him to Class AAA Columbus on June 7 where he hit .362 (25-for-69) with five homers and 16 RBI in 18 games. He was recalled on June 27 and given the first-base job after Branyan was traded to Seattle.
LaPorta is hitting .221 (49-for-222) with 26 runs, nine doubles, 10 homers and 32 RBI since the recall.
Lineups:
Indians (62-85): CF Michael Brantley (L), SS Drew Sutton (S), DH Shin-Soo Choo (L), LF Shelley Duncan (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), 3B RF Trevor Crowe (S), 3B Andy Marte (R), 2B Luis Valbuena (L), C Chris Gimenez (R) and RHP Josh Tomlin (4-3, 4.17).
Royals (60-87): CF Gregor Blanco (L), 2B Mike Aviles (R), DH Billy Butler (R), 3B Wilson Betemit (S), 1B Kila Ka'aihue (L), C Brayan Pena (S), LF Alex Gordon (L), SS Yuniesky Betancourt (R), RF Mitch Maier and RHP Luke Hochevar (5-5, 4.81).
Lineup notes: Asdrubal Cabrera was given the day off as Sutton made his first start at shortstop for the Indians. Choo started at DH for the first time this year as Travis Hafner was rested after getting being removed for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning Saturday. Manager Manny Acta said pinch-hitting for Hafner was a precautionary move to keep his troublesome right shoulder from tightening during Saturday's four rain delays. Hafner is hitting .320 (40-for-125) with 14 doubles, three homers and 14 RBI since the All-Star break.
Umpires: H Jim Joyce, 1B Marvin Hudson, 2B Derry Cousins, 3B Mike Estabrook. Cousins, crew chief.
Quote of the day: "I would change policy, bring back natural grass and nickel beer. Baseball is the belly-button of our society. Straighten out baseball, and you straighten out the rest of the world," former Red Sox pitcher Bill "Spaceman' Lee.
Next: Indians open three-game series Monday night against the Twins are Target Field. It will be RHP Jeanmar Gomez (3-4, 4.02) vs. LHP Brian Duensing (9-2, 2.07).