Tribe scores 10 in 4th inning in rout of Royals

Cleveland's Travis Hafner hits a three-run double off Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Vin Mazzaro in the fourth inning.

KANSAS CITY — Pounding out 20 hits and walking eight times, the well rested Cleveland Indians belted Kansas City and put Vin Mazzaro in the record book as pitching the worst game in Royals history.

Mazzaro gave up 10 runs in the fourth inning and became the third pitcher since 1947 to allow 14 runs in a game, according to STATS LLC. He also became the newest addition to the Triple-A staff in Omaha, where he was demoted to immediately following the 19-1 loss by the Royals on Monday night.

“It’s tough. It was a tough game,” said Mazzaro, whose ERA skied to 22.74. “Some of the plays didn’t go my way. It’s a funny game. You’ve just got to keep battling and attack the zone.”

After the brutal fourth inning, Mazzaro allowed four more in the fifth before he was removed.

“We do have a few guys who see a lot of pitches,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “On those days when the pitchers are not on top of their game, these guys can really work a number on them.”

Mazzaro was definitely not on top. The 25-year-old right-hander was charged with 14 runs on 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings and erased the Royals’ record of 11 runs allowed in a game, which had been done three times.

Michael Brantley and Matt LaPorta each had four RBIs in the Indians’ biggest offensive outburst since scoring 22 runs at New York on April 18, 2009. Hafner and Orlando Cabrera each had three RBIs.

LaPorta reached base five times with a walk and four hits.

“I definitely think it’s contagious,” said LaPorta. “You see a couple of guys in front of you get a hit and you want to be right there, you want to be able to drive them in. And I think it’s the same way, guys behind you want to drive you in.”

At least Mazzaro didn’t get the loss. That went to starter Kyle Davies (1-6), who left after walking the bases full in the first inning and retiring only one batter. The Royals said later that he would have an MRI for soreness in the front of his right shoulder. He was charged with two runs after Nate Adcock gave up a two-run single to Orlando Cabrera.

The Indians added another run in the second on an RBI single by Brantley, who set a career high with his four RBIs.

Asdrubal Cabrera’s RBI single got the Indians rolling in the fourth. Mazzaro then issued Carlos Santana’s third walk of the game, and walk No. 7 on the night for the Indians, which loaded the bases.

Hafner then hammered a three-run double into left-center. Orlando Cabrera followed with an RBI single, then Travis Buck singled and LaPorta hit a two-run double that made it 10-0. After Jack Hannahan singled, Brantley hit a 1-1 pitch for a three-run home run and a 13-0 Cleveland lead.

“I personally didn’t even know we had that many runs,” said LaPorta. “We were just going up there. Everybody was trying to get on base and do their job. I was just trying to see the ball well and put a good swing on it.”

The Indians, who were coming off back-to-back rainouts, sent 13 men to the plate in the fourth. For the game, they had a season-high 20 hits, including seven doubles, and drew eight walks.

In the fifth, Buck had an RBI single, LaPorta added a second two-run double and Hannahan brought in a run with an infield out.

Josh Tomlin (5-1) got the win, going six innings and giving up five hits and one run, on Billy Butler’s infield out in the fourth.

Tomlin tried not to think he was working with a gigantic lead.

“I was up there still trying to take the same approach and pitch like it was a tie ballgame,” he said. “Sometimes you can lose focus a little bit. But for the most part, it puts you at ease a little bit and you can go after them.”

According to STATS LLC, the last pitcher to give up 10 runs in an inning was Texas’ Scott Feldman against the Red Sox on Aug. 12, 2008, although not all the runs were earned. Before Mazzaro, the only pitchers since 1947 to get clobbered for 14 runs were Milwaukee’s Bill Travers against Cleveland on Aug. 14, 1977, and Oakland’s Mike Oquist on Aug. 3, 1998 against the Yankees.

Mazzaro was clearly not happy about being sent down.

“It’s kind of a tough call,”he said. “You’ve just go to keep battling. Things will work out.”

NOTES: The Indians are in the unusual position of playing a pair of two-game series on a four-game road trip. After two in KC, they’ll fly to Chicago for two with the White Sox before returning home. ... It was LaPorta’s second four-hit game. The other was Aug. 29, 2009 at Baltimore. ... The last Royals pitcher to give up 11 runs was Brian Bannister on June 12, 2010 against Cincinnati. ... The Indians also scored 10 runs in the fourth inning on April 8 at Seattle.