Gavin Williams pitches 7 sharp innings as the Guardians beat the slumping Royals 4-2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gavin Williams pitched seven sharp innings, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Monday.

Lane Thomas and Josh Naylor each hit two-run homers for AL Central-leading Cleveland, which won for the fourth time in five games.

Williams (3-7) allowed one run and one hit in an encouraging September performance after he went 1-4 with a 6.56 ERA in five starts last month.

“Filling up the zone,” Williams said. “Talking with (catcher) Bo (Naylor) and having a better plan. Just seeing the way they took different pitches.”

The right-hander walked two while throwing 46 pitches in the first two innings. But he settled down from there, retiring his final 16 batters.

“The first couple of innings he was fighting himself,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Made an adjustment. To go seven was much needed, for him, for us, and everything.”

The Guardians began the day with a 3 1/2-game lead over Minnesota and Kansas City in the division.

The Royals played without manager Matt Quatraro, who missed the game because of a personal matter. Bench coach Paul Hoover ran the team in Quatraro's absence.

Kansas City finished with two hits in its season-high sixth consecutive loss.

“The ball’s not bouncing our way,” Royals infielder Michael Massey said. “We’ve gone through streaks where the ball hits on the right side of the chalk line and streaks where it hits the wrong side. We’re just on the wrong side right now.”

Thomas’ ninth homer of the season lifted Cleveland to a 2-1 lead in the fifth. It was Thomas’ first homer since he was acquired in a July 29 trade with Washington.

“All you want to do is contribute,” Thomas said. “It was nice to give Gavin a little support there.”

José Ramírez led off the sixth with an infield single off Kris Bubic. Josh Naylor followed with his 29th homer, a 420-foot drive to center on a 1-0 fastball.

In his last five games, Naylor has eight RBIs and 11 hits, three for extra bases.

Emmanuel Clase handled the ninth for his 41st save. He has converted 28 consecutive save chances.

Garcia doubled home Yuli Gurriel in the second for Kansas City, and Kyle Isbel added a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Garcia said Williams threw more curveballs “and we didn’t make the adjustment.”

Garcia started at shortstop as Bobby Witt Jr. served as the designated hitter. It was Witt’s first game away from shortstop since last Sept. 4, a span of 161 games.

Kansas City right-hander Michael Wacha (11-7) permitted two runs and five hits in five innings in his first loss since June 22.

“Everything was good until the fifth,” Wacha said. “Was able to keep them off balance until then.”

“He threw the ball really, really well,” Hoover said. “He gave up the cutter for a home run to Thomas. The one swing got him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 1B Gurriel left in the eighth because of right hamstring tightness.

UP NEXT

Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (10-6, 3.65 ERA) opposes RHP Brady Singer (9-9, 3.36 ERA) on Tuesday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Marc Bowman, The Associated Press