Jake Bauers had four hits and three RBIs, and highlighted a five-run third inning with a two-run double as the Cleveland Indians defeated the host Kansas City Royals 9-5 on Tuesday night.

Trevor Bauer (7-6) picked up the win, but it wasn't easy. He gave up five runs on 11 hits in six-plus innings. He left with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh, and two of those runners scored. Bauer struck out six and walked one.

Jakob Junis (4-8) took the loss. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits. He walked two and struck out four.

The Indians are an American League-best 18-9 since the beginning of June.

After the Indians took a 1-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Roberto Perez, the Royals answered in the bottom of the inning when Jorge Soler hit the first pitch he saw 451 feet for a home run into the second deck of the fountains in left center.

Of Soler's 23 home runs, 10 have come on the first pitch, the most in the majors this season and the most by a Royal since pitch-count data has been collected (1988).

The Indians then unloaded on Junis with five runs in the third. The first run scored on a bases-loaded walk to Jason Kipnis, followed by an RBI fielder's choice by Jose Ramirez. Two runs scored on Bauers' double, and the fifth run scored on an error by Royals third baseman Hunter Dozier.

The Indians got another run in the fifth.

Carlos Santana led off with an infield single and went to second on an error by Junis. He eventually scored on Bauers' third hit.

The Royals got two back in the bottom of the fifth on Adalberto Mondesi's seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot. It was Mondesi's first game back after missing 12 games with a groin strain.

Kansas City got two more in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Mondesi and an RBI single by Alex Gordon.

Santana's single in the eighth and Tyler Naquin's double in the ninth plated the Indians' final runs.

--Field Level Media