Yuniesky Betancourt homered and drove in three runs, helping power the Kansas City Royals to a 9-7 win over the visiting Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

Billy Butler and Mitch Maier drove in two runs apiece for the Royals, who won their third straight game and moved two games ahead of cellar-dwelling Cleveland in the American League Central.

Kansas City starter Bruce Chen (8-6) was the beneficiary of a 12-hit attack. He went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs on 11 hits while striking out five and walking one.

Joakim Soria finished up for his 35th save in 37 chances this season. He has converted 28 consecutive save opportunities.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo each had three hits and two RBIs and Shelly Duncan homered for Cleveland, which lost despite banging out 17 hits.

The red-hot Betancourt hit his fifth homer in 10 games, giving him 12 on the season. He is batting .421 (16-for-38) in his last 13 games.

Indians starter Fausto Carmona (11-11) had another rough outing in absorbing his third straight defeat. He allowed seven runs in nine hits in five innings