Don't look now: LIMA TIME 3-0

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Maybe it's time to quit saying Jose Lima is on the comeback trail.

Lima delivered another strong start and Joe Randa drove in a season-high four runs Tuesday night, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

"I just feel good," Lima said. "You can see the smile on my face every inning. Two months ago I was in the independent league."

Lima, who hadn't won three starts in a row since 1999 when he was a 21-game winner with Houston, gave up five hits in seven innings to a Cleveland lineup that rapped out 31 hits in a doubleheader sweep the night before.

Randa had a three-run homer and a season-high four RBI for the Royals, who slipped past Minnesota back into first place in the AL Central.

"It feels great to go out there and stop the bleeding," said Lima, who signed a free agent contract on June 11 after starting the year with the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League.

Lima's ERA, which was 7.77 in 20 games for Detroit last year, fell to 3.20 in four starts with the Royals as he beat the Indians for the second time in two weeks.

"For the most part, he kept the ball down," said Cleveland's Casey Blake, who singled in the ninth to stretch his hitting streak to 12 games. "He pitched backwards, throwing a lot of sliders and changeups in the hitter's count, getting you to chase. He's a pretty good story, the comeback he's making."

Lima gave up a leadoff triple to Coco Crisp, who scored on Matt Lawton's infield grounder. But Lima then allowed only one single until Lawton hit a towering 425-foot home run with two outs in the sixth.

Lima walked one and struck out two.

Mike MacDougal got two outs -- including Brandon Phillips' groundout to second with the bases loaded to end it -- for his 21st save.

Ricardo Rodriguez (3-9) walked Michael Tucker leading off the four-run second and gave up a double to Aaron Guiel. Angel Berroa had an RBI groundout and Brent Mayne singled ahead of Randa's home run into the stands in left field.

Randa's RBI double made it 5-1 in the fourth and Carlos Beltran hit an RBI single.

Rodriguez gave up four runs, four hits and three walks in 1 2-3 innings, becoming the first Cleveland starter not to go into the fifth inning in 20 games.

"He had trouble commanding the ball," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "He had to work real hard and his pitch count was getting up. I didn't want him to go one more batter. I don't want to put him in harm's way."

Following Lawton's homer in the sixth, Milton Bradley hit a shot that bounced off the wall in left. He was called out by umpire Dan Iassogna at third following a strong throw to the bag by Raul Ibanez.

Bradley argued heatedly and replays indicated he was probably safe.