CLEVELAND -- With another win, the Royals stepped closer to history and a playoff berth. Theyve got a much bigger goal in mind. Rookie Yordano Ventura blanked Clevelands punchless offence for seven innings as Kansas City kept pressure on first-place Detroit in the AL Central with a 7-1 win over the Indians on Tuesday night. Following the game, the Royals retreated to their clubhouse to watch the ninth inning of the Tigers 5-4 win over Chicago. As they ate their postgame meals, Kansas Citys players roared loudly when the White Sox scored three runs in the ninth to tie it. It got much quieter when Miguel Cabrera delivered a game-winning hit to keep the Tigers one game ahead of Kansas City. Still, the Royals are stalking. Manager Ned Yost knows his club almost has a wild-card berth locked up. However, hes got his sights on a bigger prize. "Im not really interested in the wild card right now," Yost said. "That (magic) number doesnt mean much to me. The wild card has always been Plan B. Were in good shape right now. Our focus is on winning this division." The hard-throwing Ventura (14-10) allowed four singles and threw a 100 mph fastball on his 104th pitch. Salvador Perezs two-out, two-run double off Danny Salazar (6-8) put the Royals ahead 5-0 in the fifth and they turned their attention to the left-field scoreboard to monitor the Tigers score. Kansas City remained one game out of first with five games left. Its been 29 years since the Royals were in the post-season, and that run in 1985 ended with their only World Series title. At 86-71, Kansas City matched its win total from last season. Its the first time the Royals have had consecutive seasons with at least 86 victories since 1977-78. The playoffs are within reach, but the Royals arent banking on anything just yet. "Weve got to stick to the plan," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We keep saying it over and over again, but its what you have to do as a team. We went out and took care of our business." The Indians faint playoff hopes grew dimmer. Cleveland trails Kansas City by 4 1/2 games in the wild-card chase with four games remaining. Clevelands offence went into a funk at the worst time possible. The Indians scored an unearned run in the eighth, ending a string of 19 straight scoreless innings. Ventura made his major league debut against the Indians last September, a performance Indians manager Terry Francona called "electric." "Were not hoping for electric tonight," Francona said beforehand. Ventura didnt have to be. The Indians are currently powerless. With a chance to stay in the race in the seasons final week, Cleveland is collapsing. "We didnt win, which we set out to do," Francona said. "The only thing we can do now is play tomorrow and try to win that game." Omar Infantes two-run double in the fourth gave the Royals a 2-0 lead, and with the Indians offence sputtering, Ventura had more than enough cushion to notch his fifth win in six starts and improve to 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in five career starts against the Indians. Hes 7-1 with a 2.02 ERA in his last eight starts in the division. "Hes a special guy," Yost said. "He has all the makings of being a high-level, upper-tier pitcher in the American League." In the fifth, Salazar, who struck out the side in the first two innings, got two quick outs before Hosmer doubled and scored on Billy Butlers double. Alex Gordon was walked intentionally and Perez drove in two with his shot to left-centre, the ball just clearing lunging left fielder Michael Brantleys glove. Salazar was dominant in the early going, getting six strikeouts in the first two innings with each whiff coming on a wicked change-up that badly fooled the Royals hitters. He escaped a threat in the third, but Salazar wasnt so fortunate in the fourth, when he walked Butler and gave up a single to Gordon before Infante pulled his double into the left-field corner. ROAD RAGE Kansas City has won 16 of its last 23 road games since Aug. 1. MOST YOST Yost managed in his 770th game with the Royals, tying him with Dick Howser for the most in franchise history. Yost has a 370-400 record with the Royals since being hired in 2010. Yost had 457 wins as Milwaukees manager (2003-08). UP NEXT LHP Jason Vargas (11-10), who has recorded the ALs third-lowest ERA (2.42) on the road, starts the series finale for the Royals, who oddly lost as the home team on Monday when they dropped a suspended game. Trevor Bauer (5-8) goes for the Indians, who have lost each of his past four starts after winning four in a row and five of six. Cyber Monday Hockey Jerseys .com) - The Hatch Attack is back in the Southern Conference. Custom Hockey Jerseys .In the Football Money League compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte, German champion Bayern Munich remained third but Barcelona dropped from second to fourth during its trophyless 2014.In the 2013-2014 financial year, Real generated 549. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. Cheap Hockey Jerseys Authentic .C. -- The Steve Smith era in Carolina is over. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . A player confirmed to TSN on the condition of anonymity that he received his ballot yesterday. Another confirms hes been told to expect his shortly. "The unions executive committee insists a strike vote does not mean were pushing away from the table," the player said. "But we want the league to know were serious about our position.J.A. Happ tries to win for the fifth time in six starts tonight when the Toronto Blue Jays continue a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins. Happ bounced back from an ugly loss to Kansas City to win in Detroit on Thursday, as he held the Tigers to three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 5-2 to go along with a 4.12 ERA. In two games (1 start) versus the Twins, Happ is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA. After getting shut out in back-to-back games Toronto seemed to get back on track in Mondays opener, as Kevin Pillar singled home pinch-runner Erik Kratz in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Blue Jays to a 5-4 win. The Twins erased a 4-2 deficit in the top of the ninth, but Matt Guerrier (0-1) walked the leadoff batter, Dioner Navarro, who was replaced by Kratz. After Anthony Gose struck out on a failed bunt attempt, Casey Fien took over for Guerrier. Jose Reyes then lined a single to right field -- his third hit of the game -- and Pillar followed with a blooper to right to score Kratz and end the Blue Jays two-game skid. Edwin Encarnacion blasted a three-run homer for AL East-leading Toronto, which was coming off conseccutive 5-0 losses to St.dddddddddddd Louis over the weekend. Danny Santana and Brian Dozier clubbed back-to-back homers off Toronto starter R.A. Dickey to begin the game, but the knuckleballer settled down to pitch into the sixth inning. "The more aggressive I became, the better result I started having," Dickey said. Kurt Suzuki had three hits in Minnesotas fourth loss in five games. Toronto could stay in the win column on Tuesday, as it goes up against Twins righty Kevin Correia, who is a miserable 2-7 with a 6.11 ERA. Correia couldnt hold a four-run lead on Thursday against Milwaukee and fell for the fourth time in five decisions, as he allowed five runs and 10 hits in five innings. As bad as hes been, though, the Twins dont plan on moving him from the rotation anytime soon. "Kevins one of our starters," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Hes paid good money to do that, and hes still gonna get paid no matter what, so hes one of our starters. We need him to be more consistent." Correia is 1-3 with a 6.48 ERA in six games (4 starts) against Toronto. Minnesota won two of three when these teams squared off in April. ' ' '