Royals SP Kris Medlen blanks Indians in 2-0 victory

Royals starter Kris Medlen (4-1) blanked the Indians over 6 1/3 innings, surrendering five hits and one walk in a 2-0 victory Tuesday.

Medlen made his fifth start after starting the season out of the bullpen following a 2014 campaign wiped out by Tommy John surgery, and the veteran turned in his best performance to date. It was the longest into the game that the 29-year-old has gone in his trips to the mound, although it was also the first start in which he failed to record a strikeout.

After a rocky Sept. 4 appearance in which he gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs over 5 2/3 innings to the White Sox, Medlen has surrendered only two earned runs and eight hits over 12 1/3 innings in two starts since. If Medlen can continue to build up his endurance over his remaining starts, he could potentially serve as a valuable component of the Royals' postseason pitching staff.