The offensively-challenged Indians found their groove Friday night at Progressive Field, routing the Royals 15-4 behind a 17-hit attack.

It was Cleveland’s second straight win, but just its sixth in the last 20 games.

The Indians scored six times in the second inning, then added a five-run outburst in the eighth.

CLEVELAND – The Indians don’t have much to play for the rest of the season, but finishing out of last place in the Central Division is still a goal for Cleveland, which gets an opportunity to make some progress in the department with a visit from the Royals.

The last-place Indians entered the series opener of a three-game set Friday with the Royals, trailing fourth-place Kansas City by three games in the division standings.

“I don’t think anyone wants to finish last,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta, whose club entered the night with a 3-5 record against KC this season. “Obviously, it’s an important series for us to try and gain some ground on these guys. Twenty-two (non-qualifying playoff) teams are going to go home anyway, but it’s always nice to finish fourth instead of fifth, because people don’t say fifth, they say last.”

Playing for fourth place wasn’t what anyone around the Indians organization envisioned when the season began, but injuries and performance issues have taken their toll.

“It’s not a good consolation to have anyway,” Acta said.

Finishing in last place would actually serve the Indians better, with the club receiving a higher pick in the 2011 draft. Teams in a number of sports have been accused of purposely losing games to accomplish as much.

“I’ve never been part of that, and as a manager, I wouldn’t be part of it,” Acta said. “I try to win every single game.”

Big League Choo

The Indians would rather not discuss Shin-Soo Choo’s impending military obligation to his native South Korea.

“We don’t want to think about that stuff,” Acta said. “We just pray that he’s here every day and in the lineup.”

Unless Choo’s South Korean national team wins the Asian Games this fall, he is required to return to his country and serve a two-year term in the military. If that doesn’t happen, the Indians are hoping an agreement can be worked out between Choo and the South Korean government, but it doesn’t appear likely.

Choo can opt to apply for U.S. citizenship, but under current law, he could not return to South Korea without facing arrest.   

On a lighter note, hanging in Choo’s locker Friday was an autographed jersey of Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson, the player Choo plans on taking with the first pick Sunday in the fantasy football draft for Indians’ personnel at Travis Hafner’s home.

Choo wanted to wear the jersey to the draft and media relations director Bart Swain, an Elyria High graduate, pulled some strings to procure the autographed apparel.

Coming up?

It sounds as though the Indians might not add anyone when rosters expand to 40 players Wednesday, choosing to wait until Triple-A Columbus’ season is complete. The Clippers’ regular season ends Sept. 6, but they are still in contention for a playoff spot in the International League, trailing West Division leader Louisville by a half game through Thursday, while leading the wild-card race by three games.

“We’re still not clear on that,” Acta said of the club’s September call-up direction. “It all depends on (the Clippers’) situation. If they’re eliminated, it makes things easier on us, but we’re hoping they make the playoffs. It’s a good experience for those kids.

“Most of the guys from Triple-A are already up here. There’s very few guys down there that can come up and make an impact.”

Columbus right-hander Carlos Carrasco and third baseman Jared Goedert are the strongest candidates for promotion, with Carrasco all but a lock to make an appearance on the big league level.  

Minor details

A pair of first-round draft choices, right-hander Alex White and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, loomed large in Double-A Akron’s 12-0 victory over Portland on Thursday. White, the 15^th overall draft pick last year, allowed just three hits and struck out five over seven innings, while Chisenhall, the 29^th overall pick in 2008, went 2-for-5 with his 17^th homer.

White is 7-3 with a 2.59 ERA over his last 11 games (10 starts), while Chisenhall’s 77 RBIs was tops among Cleveland minor leaguers through Thursday, and his 17 homers ranked third.   

Roundin’ third

Indians closer Chris Perez entered Friday with a 1-0 record, 10 saves and a 1.39 ERA over his last 26 appearances (26 innings). The right-hander’s 2.10 relief ERA ranked ninth in the American League through Thursday. … Jim Joyce was part of an umpiring crew for an Indians game for the first time since his erroneous call at first base cost the Tigers’ Armando Gallaraga a perfect game June 2, in Detroit. Ironically enough, Joyce was at first base Friday. … Tonight, 7:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Gomez (3-2, 3.62) vs. Greinke (8-11, 3.83).

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND – Mitch Talbot allowed five runs in the first inning Wednesday night at Progressive Field. With the way the Indians have been swinging the bat lately, they might as well have gone home before the second.

Oakland’s early uprising was more than enough to beat back the offensively challenged Indians, who lost for the fifth straight time and for the 13th time in 15 games, dropping a 6-1 decision in front of just 10,514 fans.

“Mitch struggled with his command in that first inning,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta, whose team has scored just four runs over the five-game skid, while batting .168 with two doubles and one home run. “You really don’t want to be down 5-0 before you even swing the bat against a guy (Trevor Cahill) that is contending for the Cy Young.

“That first inning basically did us in, but we didn’t score enough runs anyway.”

Cahill, who improved to 14-5 with a 2.43 ERA, certainly had a hand in limiting Cleveland’s scoring, allowing just an unearned run on seven hits over seven innings.

Though the right-hander allowed a number of baserunners, he was rarely in trouble, surrendering his lone run after Jason Donald reached base on an error to lead off the fifth inning.

Cahill’s effort over seven innings was leaps and bounds ahead of Talbot’s over one inning – the disastrous first that took the Indians out of the game early.

After retiring the first batter he faced, Talbot allowed six straight to reach on two walks, a hit batter, two singles and a double from former Indian Kevin Kouzmanoff, who cleared the bases to put Oakland in front 5-0.

“That first inning was a lot of struggles in a lot of different areas,” Talbot said. “Mechanically, I felt like I was all over the place, and the results showed that I was all over the place. It seems like I can’t find a break right now.”

He certainly didn’t get one from home plate umpire Paul Emmel, who might have spared Talbot had he made the correct call on the hit batter (Kurt Suzuki) three batters into the game.

Replays confirmed that on an 0-2 pitch to Suzuki, Talbot’s offering actually hit the end of the bat and not the Oakland catcher’s hand.

“It’s one of those things you have to let go and try to get the next hitter,” Talbot said. “I was scuffling out there anyway.”

“It didn’t help at all,” Acta said of Emmel’s call. “He had that guy 0-2, but you can’t blame the umpire for the two walks, the singles and the double.”

Talbot, who allowed just a run over the next five innings, has no one to blame but himself for his performance of late. At one time a candidate for American League Rookie of the Year, the right-hander is 0-5 over his last eight starts, with his last win coming June 27. He has allowed 24 runs over the five losses.

“He hasn’t been as sharp,” Acta said of Talbot, who began the season 5-2 over his first seven starts. “But after that rough first inning he got in a very good groove. Unfortunately, you have to put the six innings together.”

While Talbot was finding his rhythm, Cleveland’s offense remained in low gear, collecting just two hits over the final four innings. All of the Indians’ last eight outs came via strikeout after Cleveland had failed to fan once over the first six innings.

“We’re not hiding the fact that we’ve been in the bottom three (in the AL) in offense even before we lost those guys to injuries,” Acta said. “We’re going to struggle offensively here and there. We just have to keep working and keep the faith.”

Shin-Soo Choo and Jayson Nix accounted for five of the Indians’ eight hits, Choo going 3-for-3 with a walk. Choo has hit safely in seven of his last nine games, batting .372 (16-for-43) over the span, with a home run and five RBIs. He is hitting .316 (56-for-177) with seven homers and 28 RBIs in 46 games since June 17.

“He just keeps going,” Acta said. “Unfortunately, right now, he’s one of the few threats we have.”

The Indians have scored two or fewer runs over the last five games, accounting for the longest such streak since 2002. They are 3-41 this season when scoring two runs or less.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

TONIGHT

• WHO: Cleveland vs. Oakland
• TIME: 7:05
• WHERE: Progressive Field
• PITCHERS: Masterson (4-12, 5.33 ERA) vs. Mazzaro (6-5, 3.56)
• TV/RADIO: SportsTime Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

CLEVELAND – Michael Brantley returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing four games with a sprained left ankle. He is expected to finish the year as the Indians’ starting center fielder and leadoff hitter, with his spot in the batting order potentially carrying over to next season.

“I have confidence that he should be able to do that down the road,” Acta said of Brantley batting first. “He’s a guy who takes pitches and can handle lefties and righties. That along with speed, he’s suited for that kind of job.”

Brantley, who is filling in for an injured Grady Sizemore in center, didn’t even look as though he was suited for the big league level during his first two stints with the Indians this year.

But in his latest spell in Cleveland, which began Aug. 7, Brantley has been a different player, at least at the plate – .327 (16-for-49) with 12 runs, two home runs and seven RBIs in 12 games through Tuesday.

“He’s flying high right now in confidence,” Acta said. “He has swung the bat really well this time around. At the beginning of the year it was more about whether he was here to stay and whether he belonged. That probably played a little bit into his head. I think now he knows he’s here to stay.

“The confidence is there. He’s made some adjustments with his swing and the results are there so far.”

Brantley has been a solid defender in all three of his stints with the Indians, which is why Acta has given some thought to moving Sizemore, a two-time Gold Glove award winner, to left field, if he is limited at the start of next season by surgery to his left knee.

“I like him (defensively),” Acta said of Brantley, who entered Wednesday with one error in 38 games for the Indians. “He’s a very good athlete and he’s effortless out there. He’s got a good enough arm for a center fielder. He’s fundamentally sound.”

Laffey’s line

Aaron Laffey’s rehab stint has lasted longer than expected, with left shoulder fatigue still plaguing the left-hander. He made his fourth rehab appearance Tuesday, allowing two runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings of Triple-A Columbus’ 7-3 loss to Toledo.

In the four rehab outings, Laffey has allowed three runs on seven hits over
4 1/3 innings.

“He’s not 100 percent yet,” Acta said. “Aaron himself doesn’t feel physically ready to compete and get major league hitters out. When he feels ready, we’ll make a decision.”

Oakland dominant

Practically every American League team has had its way with the Indians this year, but the A’s have been especially tough on the Central Division cellar dwellers.

Entering Wednesday, Cleveland was 2-5 against Oakland, with four of the losses coming via shut outs. In those seven games, the Indians managed just 12 runs (1.7 average), while batting .211 with one homer.

A’s pitchers have posted a 1.55 ERA over the span, with Tuesday’s starting pitcher, Gio Gonzalez, posting three wins in three starts against the Indians, while shutting them out over 20 2/3 innings.

Minor details

Columbus first baseman Wes Hodges went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the Clippers’ 7-3 loss to Toledo on Tuesday. Hodges, a second-round draft pick in 2006, entered Wednesday batting .339 (19-for-56) with two homers and five RBIs over his last 14 games – .275 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs on the season.

• Double-A Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall hit his 16th homer in a 6-3 victory over Bowie in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday. Chisenhall, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick (29th overall) in 2008, entered Wednesday hitting .429 (15-for-35) with two homers and 15 RBIs over his last 10 games – .276 with 75 RBIs on the season.

Roundin’ third

The Indians have only four wins in their last 18 games.

• Shelley Duncan’s six pinch-hit homers were tied with Minnesota’s Jim Thome for the most in the American League through Tuesday.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.