Indians Sweep Pair From Royals

Cliff Lee continued his extraordinary pitching with his first career shutout in the second game of the Indians' doubleheader sweep in Kansas City on Thursday night. In the first game, Grady Sizemore had four of Cleveland's 15 hits in a 9-6 triumph over the Royals. Then in the second game, David Dellucci hit a home run and Lee struck out nine in a three-hit, 2-0 victory.

Lee (4-0, 0.28 ERA) continued his incredible turnaround from the worst season of his career in 2007. After totaling 46 wins over the previous three years, including an 18-5 mark in 2005, Lee strained an abdominal muscle in spring training in February 2007 and never got untracked. He went only 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA and was even sent back to the minors for a time.

Thursday, Lee yielded a leadoff single to Jose Guillen in the second, but got the next batter, Billy Butler, to ground into a double play. Guillen opened the fifth with a double, but Lee struck out Butler, Alex Gordon and Miguel Olivo.

With two outs in the ninth, David DeJesus singled on an 0-2 pitch, but Lee came back to get Esteban German on a groundout to end it. German fouled off the first three pitches before grounding to third baseman Andy Marte.

Lee has allowed only 11 hits and two walks in 31 2/3 innings this year, striking out 29.

Dellucci (.273) broke the scoreless duel with Royals right-hander Brian Bannister by hitting the first pitch of the seventh for his third homer. Travis Hafner (.226) followed with a double and scored on a two-out double by Asdrubal Cabrera (.209).

Fausto Carmona (3-1, 2.89 ERA) allowed four runs on nine hits and four walks over five innings, but got the win in the first game when the Indians' offense bailed him out.

Grady Sizemore (.276), Blake (.250) and Jason Michaels (.156) all had two RBI. Sizemore went 4-for-5 with a homer; Michaels and Blake both were 2-for-4; Victor Martinez (.367) went 3-for-5 and Ben Francisco 2-for-5.

Rafael Betancourt (3.60 ERA) worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.

NOTABLE: The Indians re-signed LHP Jason Stanford and assigned him to Triple-A Buffalo. Stanford, who went 1-1 with the Indians in 2007, signed with Washington in November as a six-year minor-league free agent. The Nationals released him April 21. ... LHP Aaron Laffey worked three scoreless innings Thursday night at Buffalo. He is expected to be called up to start for the Indians on Monday night in Cleveland against the New York Yankees.