CLEVELAND — The Indians got positive news on the Carlos Carrasco front Tuesday.

The right-hander, who left his last start with tightness in his pitching elbow,  underwent an MRI Monday that revealed no structural damage.

Carrasco (1-1, 4.97 ERA) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today, and if there are no problems, is expected to start on his regular turn Saturday against Detroit.

“We’re very relieved,” said manager Manny Acta, who is already without one of the members of his opening-day rotation, with right-hander Mitch Talbot on the DL with an elbow strain. “The way he’s been throwing the ball and the big part of our future that he is, it was great news.”

Carrasco lasted just three innings in his last start Sunday in Minnesota — a 4-3 loss to the Twins. With his elbow tight, Carrasco’s velocity sank, something he also experienced last year with Triple-A Columbus.

He left an outing prematurely for the Clippers (July 20) with elbow tightness, but did not miss his next start. The Indians are hopeful the same scenario plays out this year.

Starting pitching has been a big part of the Indians’ success to start the season, the rotation ranking fifth in the American League with a combined 3.78 ERA through Monday.

“I think our starting pitching and defense have been the biggest part,” Acta said. “We know it’s early, but these guys have pitched unbelievably well. Is it going to happen that way for the rest of the season? That’s probably unrealistic, but these guys have been great.”

Big league Choo

Acta still isn’t worried about slump-ridden Shin-Soo Choo, who entered Tuesday batting just .207 with two home runs, 10 RBIs and a team-leading 22 strikeouts in 21 games.

“I’m not concerned at all,” Acta said. “We’re playing well as a team. That’s all that matters. Batting average is not everything. He’s done a lot of things to help us win. He’ll be there at the end of the season. It’s only been three weeks.

“If by the All-Star break Choo is hitting .200, I’ll be concerned.”

The man hitting behind Choo in the order is also slumping. Catcher Carlos Santana was hitting just .200 through Monday, but like Choo, had contributed in other ways, reaching base in 10 straight games.

Minor details

Right-hander Alex White continued his impressive start to the season, getting his first win Monday after allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings of Columbus’ 6-1 Game 1 victory over Indianapolis. White, Cleveland’s first-round draft choice (15th overall) in 2009, is 1-0 with a 1.90 ERA in four starts for the Clippers. Acta said Tuesday that he expected the 22-year-old right-hander to make his major league debut this season. … Left-hander Drew Pomeranz allowed a run on three hits (one homer), while striking out five in three innings of advanced Class A Kinston’s 7-3 loss to Salem on Monday. Pomeranz, the Indians’ first-round draft choice (fifth overall) last year, does not have a decision in four starts for Kinston, posting a 2.00 ERA and striking out 27 in 18 innings. … Lakewood St. Edward product, catcher Alex Lavisky, entered Tuesday batting .214 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 14 games for Class A Lake County.

Roundin’ third

Entering Tuesday, Grady Sizemore was batting .357 (10-for-28) with two homers and five RBIs in seven games since being activated from the disabled list. … Dating back to last season, reliever Rafael Perez had not allowed a run in his last 19 appearances (14 innings) through Monday. … The Indians entered Tuesday as the only team in the majors yet to throw a runner out stealing (0-for-12). Tonight, 7:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Tomlin (3-0, 2.33) vs. Francis (0-2, 4.06).

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Twitter and Facebook.

CLEVELAND — Everyone joined the party for the Indians on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Cleveland got a quality effort from its pitching staff and a power-packed performance from its offense, all of it adding up to a 9-4 victory over the Royals that snapped a three-game losing skid for the first-place Indians.

While one negative streak ended, a positive one continued for Cleveland, which won its eighth straight game at home, accounting for the longest such streak since 2007.

Another strong start for Justin Masterson, five home runs to support him and a big-time appearance from reliever Vinnie Pestano made it all possible.

“That’s the way it’s meant to be,” manager Manny Acta said. “We’re not hiding the fact that if we’re going to continue this, we need everybody to contribute.

“We’re a better club than last year, but we don’t have that depth. We need everybody on full cylinder.”

Masterson wasn’t as effective as he has been, but was good enough to earn his fifth win in as many starts this season. The five wins are the second-most in the majors behind the Angels’ Jered Weaver (6).

The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits, striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings.

It was no surprise that Masterson was on the mound to stop a slide, with four of his five wins this season coming after a Cleveland loss.

“He does have the right mentality,” Acta said of Masterson’s skid-stopping ability. “He’s a guy that takes things in stride and it helps him.”

“That’s what you have to do,” said Masterson, who didn’t win his fifth game until Aug. 26 of last year in his 26th start. “In order to stay successful, you have to stay where you’re at. You just have to keep it even-keeled as you go.”

Masterson stayed even-keeled despite squandering a two-run lead after three innings, then waited for the power to arrive in the fifth.

With the game tied at two, Matt LaPorta and Jack Hannahan hit back-to-back homers off Royals starter Luke Hochevar that put the Indians in front for good.

Hannahan, who is off to a shocking offensive start (.286 with a team-leading four homers and 11 RBIs in 18 games) also went deep in the third.

Hochevar, who was perfect through five innings before imploding in the sixth in his last start (against Cleveland), crumbled again, allowing three of the five homers and six runs on 11 hits over 6 1/3 innings.

But Shin-Soo Choo’s three-run shot in the seventh off reliever Louis Coleman was the biggest blow, putting the Indians in front 7-3.

Grady Sizemore hit the Indians’ final homer, a two-run shot in the eighth off Tim Collins.

Sizemore added a pair of doubles to another productive night for Cleveland’s center fielder and leadoff hitter, who has flourished since leaving the disabled list.

“It’s been good,” said Sizemore, whose double in the first made him the first player in franchise history to accumulate at least 200 doubles, 100 homers and 100 stolen bases during his Cleveland career. “Obviously it’s still early. I’m happy with the way things have gone so far.”

There were few tense moments for the Indians, but one arrived in the eighth inning, with Tony Sipp leaving the bases loaded and no outs for Pestano, who was called on to preserve a four-run lead.

Pestano, who began the season as a member of a big league bullpen for the first time in his career, looked like a seasoned relief veteran, emerging from the scrape without a run crossing the plate.

The right-hander induced Billy Butler into a pop-out before striking out Jeff Francouer and retiring Kila Ka’aihue on another popup.

“Vinnie Pestano pretty much saved the day for us,” Acta said.

Indians fans are still slow to embrace their surprising team, which owns a 2 1/2-game lead in the Central Division standings.

A crowd of just 9,650 fans were at Progressive Field, while Cleveland’s minor league hockey team, the Lake Erie Monsters, outdrew the Indians with 10,277 fans attending their Game 7 playoff game at Quicken Loans Arena.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Twitter and Facebook.

The Indians snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the Royals 9-4 Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Cleveland hit five home runs and got another solid outing from starting pitcher Justin Masterson, who improved to 5-0 on the season.

Elyria firefighters extinguished a house fire at 522 Foster Ave. Monday afternoon. (CT photo by Steve Manheim.)

ELYRIA — Elyria firefighters responded to the scene of a fire at 522 Foster Ave.

According to initial reports, callers observed smoke coming from the windows. Firefighters were dispatched a little before 1:30 this afternoon.

Firefighters extinguished the fire and were searching the home for victims when the home’s occupant arrived home and informed them no one was in the home.

Utilities to the home had to be disconnected.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.