Wally Bunker outdueled Luis Tiant and Joe Foy cracked a two-run home run as the Royals sneaked past Cleveland, 3-2, at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

Bunker pitched a complete game, holding the Indians to four hits and one walk while striking out four. He picked up his sixth win of the year and dropped his ERA to 3.29.

In seven innings of work, Tiant allowed only four hits, but battled his control a bit as he issued four walks. He had five strikeouts.

Despite Bunker’s success, Cleveland started the scoring with a run in the fourth inning. Frank Baker led off with a triple and scored on a Ken Harrelson fly ball.

The Royals had three walks but no hits through the first five innings. Joe Keough led off the sixth with a walk, and with one out Foy picked up the Royals’ first hit, belting his sixth home run of the year over the left-field fence for a 2-1 lead.

Then Kansas City added another run in the seventh. Singles by Jerry Adair and Jackie Hernandez set the stage for Bunker, who helped his own cause with an RBI single. Tiant retired the next two hitters to keep the score 3-1.

Bunker’s single became the difference when Lou Klimchock led off the eighth with a home run. Bunker retired the next three hitters, then worked around a walk and an error in the ninth, setting down the heart of the Cleveland order to finish off the win.

The victory improved Kansas City’s record to 44-62. They passed Seattle for third place in the AL West, although they were still 21.5 games behind Minnesota.

Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA196908030.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Blake Stein (1973), Bubba Starling (1992)