The Cleveland Indians have taken sole possession of first place in the AL Central with a 17-13 record after completing a four-game road sweep of the Kansas City Royals, capped by a 4-0 shutout victory.

Two key players have fueled the team's rise to the top of the division:

Jose Ramirez

• Hitting .292 with 1.160 OPS over the past week
• 3 home runs in that span, bringing season total to 9 (one behind MLB lead)
• Has recorded hits in 12 of last 14 games since April 22
• Only 7 strikeouts in those 14 games
• Consistently scoring runs and making contact after early season slump

Eddie Rosario

• Recent surge includes a 3-run homer and 2-for-4 performance with 2 RBI against Royals
• Batting .333 over last 7 days
• 19 RBI on the season (second on team behind Franmil Reyes)
• Had 5-game RBI streak in previous month
• Overall average of .240 showing improvement after slow start

The Indians' success appears closely tied to these two veterans finding their rhythm at the plate, particularly Ramirez returning to his All-Star form and Rosario's clutch run production. While their division lead remains slim, the team's improved offensive output from these key players has them positioned atop the AL Central.

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