Indianszone.com | Cleveland Indians News, indians Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>Kansas City, Mo. - Kerry Wood earned his first save, Aaron Laffey earned another start and the Indians finally looked like an opportunistic team in a 5-4 victory over the Royals on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. </div>Manager Eric Wedge talked to the struggling Indians after Tuesday's 9-3 loss to Kansas City. They were 1-7 and had lost six straight road games. "They were pretty beat up," Wedge said. He didn't rant or rave. He offered encouragement. "The effort has been good," Wedge said. "The energy has been good and the attitude has been good. Now we have to perform. "I just told them to come to the ballpark expecting good things to happen. Then go out and make them happen." Laffey, activated before the game after opening the season at Class AAA Columbus, pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning. Then he shifted into overdrive until a bad throw by Shin-Soo Choo forced Wedge to go to the bullpen in the sixth. Wedge and Laffey did not part company on good terms when Scott Lewis beat him out for a spot in the rotation in spring training. Just what happened is unknown. But when Lewis went on the disabled list after one start and Laffey was recalled, Wedge told reporters it was put-up-or-shut-up time for the left-hander. Laffey had no problem with that. "Getting sent down didn't affect me," Laffey said. "Everyone is going to be bitter. Everyone is going to be upset about going back to the minor leagues. Nobody wants to be there, especially after having some success here." Laffey allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three. "There was a little more incentive for me to get back this time," he said. "The other times, it was like I was young and I'd get back. This was like, I thought it was my spot. If I come back up, I think I'm going to be able to prove that. I think I did a good job of that today." Laffey turned 24 Wednesday, but it still looks like he'd get carded if he tried to buy a beer. "It's weird, but I feel old," Laffey said. "I feel like I've been playing pro ball a long time." As for what happened between him and Wedge, Laffey said: "I have no idea. Like I said, I came back here with the intention of proving it should be my spot. I'm going to do everything I can for it to stay my spot." Wedge said Laffey earned another start. Wood had to wait for his first save situation as an Indian. When it arrived, he took care of things quickly, retiring the Royals in order. "No one wants to start a season this way," Wood said of the 2-7 Indians , "but when you think about it, it's only nine games. Now we have to put a couple of wins together." Laffey entered the sixth with a 2-0 lead against Sidney Ponson. Run-scoring singles by Grady Sizemore in the third and Ryan Garko in the sixth accounted for the lead. Coco Crisp worked Laffey for a leadoff walk and Willie Bloomquist singled to right. Choo tried to get the swift Crisp at third but had no chance as Bloomquist advanced to second to take away the double play. "Choo can make that throw," Wedge said, "but he's got to make it low enough so the cutoff man can get it." David DeJesus' grounder to second, which would have been a double-play ball, made it 2-1. Joe Smith relieved to face John Buck, who hit two homers Tuesday. Smith struck out Buck after falling behind, 3-0. With lefty Rafael Perez struggling, Wedge brought in right-hander Jensen Lewis to face what turned out to be three straight lefties. Lewis walked all three of them, eventually forcing home Bloomquist with the tying run. The Indians reclaimed the lead, 5-2, with three runs in the seventh. Mark DeRosa, Travis Hafner and Choo delivered the runs. They all were charged to Kyle Farnsworth (0-2). Lewis (1-0), who blew a save but earned the win, gave up a run-scoring single to Bloomquist in the seventh and a homer to Mike Jacobs in the eighth to make it 5-4. Jacobs' homer would have tied the game if Mark Teahen hadn't tried to stretch a single into a double to start the inning. Choo threw him out at second. "Shin-Soo came back and picked us up right there," Wedge said. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158 BOX: Today What: Indians at New York Yankees. When: 1:05 p.m. Where: Yankee Stadium. TV/radio: WKYC Ch. 3, MLB TV, SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100. Pitchers: Cliff Lee (0-2, 9.90 ERA) vs. CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.50). cleveland.com/tribe Get in-game updates as the Indians help open the new Yankee Stadium.

Kansas City, Mo. - Kerry Wood earned his first save, Aaron Laffey earned another start and the Indians finally looked like an opportunistic team in a 5-4 victory over the Royals on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Manager Eric Wedge talked to the struggling Indians after Tuesday's 9-3 loss to Kansas City. They were 1-7 and had lost six straight road games.

"They were pretty beat up," Wedge said.

He didn't rant or rave. He offered encouragement.

"The effort has been good," Wedge said. "The energy has been good and the attitude has been good. Now we have to perform.

"I just told them to come to the ballpark expecting good things to happen. Then go out and make them happen."

Laffey, activated before the game after opening the season at Class AAA Columbus, pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning. Then he shifted into overdrive until a bad throw by Shin-Soo Choo forced Wedge to go to the bullpen in the sixth.

Wedge and Laffey did not part company on good terms when Scott Lewis beat him out for a spot in the rotation in spring training. Just what happened is unknown.

But when Lewis went on the disabled list after one start and Laffey was recalled, Wedge told reporters it was put-up-or-shut-up time for the left-hander.

Laffey had no problem with that.

"Getting sent down didn't affect me," Laffey said. "Everyone is going to be bitter. Everyone is going to be upset about going back to the minor leagues. Nobody wants to be there, especially after having some success here."

Laffey allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

"There was a little more incentive for me to get back this time," he said. "The other times, it was like I was young and I'd get back. This was like, I thought it was my spot. If I come back up, I think I'm going to be able to prove that. I think I did a good job of that today."

Laffey turned 24 Wednesday, but it still looks like he'd get carded if he tried to buy a beer.

"It's weird, but I feel old," Laffey said. "I feel like I've been playing pro ball a long time."

As for what happened between him and Wedge, Laffey said: "I have no idea. Like I said, I came back here with the intention of proving it should be my spot. I'm going to do everything I can for it to stay my spot."

Wedge said Laffey earned another start.

Wood had to wait for his first save situation as an Indian. When it arrived, he took care of things quickly, retiring the Royals in order.

"No one wants to start a season this way," Wood said of the 2-7 Indians , "but when you think about it, it's only nine games. Now we have to put a couple of wins together."

Laffey entered the sixth with a 2-0 lead against Sidney Ponson. Run-scoring singles by Grady Sizemore in the third and Ryan Garko in the sixth accounted for the lead.

Coco Crisp worked Laffey for a leadoff walk and Willie Bloomquist singled to right. Choo tried to get the swift Crisp at third but had no chance as Bloomquist advanced to second to take away the double play.

"Choo can make that throw," Wedge said, "but he's got to make it low enough so the cutoff man can get it."

David DeJesus' grounder to second, which would have been a double-play ball, made it 2-1. Joe Smith relieved to face John Buck, who hit two homers Tuesday. Smith struck out Buck after falling behind, 3-0.

With lefty Rafael Perez struggling, Wedge brought in right-hander Jensen Lewis to face what turned out to be three straight lefties. Lewis walked all three of them, eventually forcing home Bloomquist with the tying run.

The Indians reclaimed the lead, 5-2, with three runs in the seventh. Mark DeRosa, Travis Hafner and Choo delivered the runs. They all were charged to Kyle Farnsworth (0-2).

Lewis (1-0), who blew a save but earned the win, gave up a run-scoring single to Bloomquist in the seventh and a homer to Mike Jacobs in the eighth to make it 5-4. Jacobs' homer would have tied the game if Mark Teahen hadn't tried to stretch a single into a double to start the inning.

Choo threw him out at second.

"Shin-Soo came back and picked us up right there," Wedge said.

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

BOX:

Today

What: Indians at New York Yankees.

When: 1:05 p.m.

Where: Yankee Stadium.

TV/radio: WKYC Ch. 3, MLB TV, SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Pitchers: Cliff Lee (0-2, 9.90 ERA) vs. CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.50).

cleveland.com/tribe

Get in-game updates as the Indians help open the new Yankee Stadium.