Cease (5-2) earned the win Thursday after holding the Royals to three runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out one across five innings.

EDGE Analysis

After giving up a solo home run to Hunter Dozier in the first inning, Cease settled into a steady routine, blanking the Royals until the sixth, when Alex Gordon broke through with an RBI double. The 24-year-old didn't miss many bats, registering only a strikeout of Dozier later in the fifth frame. Cease was making his second straight start against the Royals. Last time out, he gave up one run and six walks over 4.1 innings. The right-hander will carry a 3.29 ERA and 1.34 WHIP into a Wednesday matchup at Pittsburgh.