Brian Bannister had a lot to do with that as Kansas City shut out Lee and the Indians , 2-0, at Progressive Field. The loss was Lee's third of the season, matching the number of games he lost last season when he won the AL Cy Young Award with a 22-3 record.

Timing is everything, and Doug Waechter got hurt just in time for the Royals to promote Bannister from Class AAA Omaha, Neb., for this start. It's no secret why the Royals chose him even though he was 9-16 last year.

Bannister is 4-1 with a 1.62 ERA (seven earned runs in 39 innings) against the Indians . He's 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts at Progressive Field.

The Indians are experts at squeezing starting pitchers, making them throw too many pitches and getting them out of games early.

Bannister paid no heed to that part of their game, breezing through six innings in 94 pitches, while allowing four harmless singles.

"I've pitched well here in the past and have confidence when I face them," Bannister said. "They have a very dangerous lineup. For whatever reason, I have a good feel for this team."

Said Grady Sizemore, who gave the Indians their first hit in the third: "He pitched well, you've got to give him credit. Offensively, we just didn't get the job done. We can't just expect Cliff to go out there and throw scoreless innings. We have to put points on the board."

It was the Royals' AL-leading third shutout of the season. They did it against an Indians team that went into the game tied with Toronto for the most runs in the AL. It's the first time this season the 5-10 Tribe has been held scoreless.

Lee (1-3, 5.25) reached rotation highs with eight innings and 122 pitches. He struck out five, walked one and allowed nine hits. He was 5-0 last year against Kansas City.

In his past two starts, Lee is 1-1 and has allowed three runs in 14 innings.

"This is how I expect myself to pitch and how I'm expected to pitch," said Lee.

Manager Eric Wedge said he let Lee throw 122 pitches because he had an extra day of rest after facing the Yankees on April 16.

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the first. Coco Crisp opened with a double, advanced to third on Mike Aviles' fly ball to right and scored on David DeJesus' sacrifice fly to right.

They made it 2-0 in the seventh on Willie Bloomquist's two-out single.

In the eighth, the Royals tried to make it 3-0 on Mark Teahen's two-out double to left center. Relays from Trevor Crowe and Jhonny Peralta cut down Billy Butler at the plate. Catcher Kelly Shoppach made a nice scoop off the wet infield grass of Peralta's throw before making the tag.

"That was a big-league relay," Wedge said.

After rookie Tony Sipp pitched a scoreless ninth in his big-league debut, the Indians tried to rally against closer Joakim Soria. Peralta walked and Shin-Soo Choo singled with one out. Shoppach lined out to left and Soria struck out Crowe on a 2-2 breaking ball, the same breaking ball he caught Peralta with April 13 at Kauffman Stadium.

"I watched it on tape and it was too close for me to take," Crowe said.

Soria leads the AL with five saves.

The Indians offered little resistance against Bannister.

Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner singled to start the fourth, but Peralta sent a grounder to short. Aviles, instead of going for the 6-4-3 double play, threw to third to force Martinez, but Peralta beat the relay to first.

The Indians couldn't take advantage of the opportunity as Choo flied out to center and Shoppach struck out.

Bannister, 13-7 against AL Central foes, put the leadoff batter on base in the sixth and seventh, but the Indians never advanced him.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

BOX:

Today

What: Indians vs. Kansas City.

When: 12:05 p.m.

Where: Progressive Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Pitchers: RHP Anthony Reyes (1-0, 5.73 ERA) vs. RHP Gil Meche (1-0, 2.25).

Weather: Sunny, 48 degrees.