KANSAS CITY - A day after his father died, Chris Young took the mound and paid tribute the best way he knew how.
Young pitched five no-hit innings Sunday in his first start after nearly two months in the bullpen, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0.
"Today I had the opportunity to honor him, playing the game we both loved alongside of my baseball family," Young said in a statement a club spokesman read to the media. "I felt him next to me with every pitch."
Young caught a flight to Dallas before the game ended.
"Last night he got a call that they had taken his dad to the hospital and he wasn't doing good," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "About 11:30 to (midnight), he passed away.
"Chris was adamant he wanted to pitch today. To go out with that on his heart and throw five innings of no-hit baseball was unbelievable."
Young (11-6) made his first start since July 28.
After Danny Duffy struck out two in a perfect sixth for the AL Central champion Royals, Ryan Madson took over to work the seventh.
On Madson's first pitch, Francisco Lindor broke up Kansas City's no-hit bid with a bunt single.
"We're not trying to break up a no-hitter. We're trying to win a game," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "If they have issues with it - I saw (shortstop Alcides) Escobar saying a few things - they can take it up with me. I thought it was a very good bunt."
Yost had no quarrels with Lindor bunting.
"I was a little bit surprised," Yost said. "But no, they're fighting for a wild card."
Yost said he would've been more annoyed if it hadn't been a combo effort on the no-hit try.
"I just want to win the game and they want to win the game and they're trying find ways to keep themselves in that wild-card hunt," Yost said.
Lindor put down a bunt that third baseman Mike Moustakas, who was playing back, picked up with his bare hand about 40 feet from home plate. Moustakas' one-hop throw to first was not nearly in time.
"I was trying to get on base and make something happen," Lindor said. "Michael Brantley was coming to home plate, the tying run. I mean that's big, to get the tying run to the plate. Getting somebody on base when it's 2-0, you can change the game like that."
A day after climbing above .500 for the since April 9, the Indians (77-77) fell four games behind Houston (82-74) for the AL's second wild card with eight games left.
Cleveland's only previous baserunner before Lindor was Brantley, who walked with two outs in the fourth. Lorenzo Cain tracked down Jose Ramirez's liner to right-center in the third for the closest to a hit off Young.
Brantley followed Lindor's hit with a walk and, one out later, Lonnie Chisenhall lined out to Madson, who threw to first baseman Eric Hosmer trying for an inning-ending double play. The throw was off line and in the dirt as Brantley eluded Hosmer and got back safely, while Lindor came home.
Kansas City asked for a video review, but after a 71-second delay the call was not overturned - Hosmer tagged Brantley with his glove while the ball was in his throwing hand.
Moustakas claimed Lindor did not tag up before running home. Crew chief Dane DeMuth called for an umpire's review and, after a 3:27 delay, umpires ruled Lindor left early and was out.
Kelvin Herrera worked a flawless eighth, and Wade Davis gave up a double to Jason Kipnis in the ninth as he finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.
Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the fourth against Danny Salazar (13-10) when Hosmer hit an RBI double and scored on Moustakas' groundout. Alex Gordon singled in a run in the seventh.
Notes: Royals DH Kendrys Morales sat out with a bruised right ankle after being hit by a pitch Saturday. X-rays were negative. ... Indians RHP Corey Kluber, who starts tonight against the Twins, is tied for the AL-lead with 15 losses after winning the AL Cy Young Award last year. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura will start tonight at Wrigley Field, a makeup of a May 30 rainout against the Cubs.