CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians couldn't blow this lead.

After giving away 5-0 and 8-1 leads before losing two games in Minnesota, Cleveland scored at will in rolling to its most lopsided shutout in 45 years, a 16-0 thrashing of the Kansas City Royals.

	Manny Ramirez's grand slam in the first off Royals starter Chad Durbin was the start of a big night for the Indians.

Manny Ramirez's first-inning grand slam got Cleveland started, and Jaret Wright pitched 7 2/3 shutout innings for the Indians, who saw their 8-1 lead turn into a 10-9 loss to the Twins on Wednesday.

"I think this was a ballclub that was tired of being embarrassed," Indians acting manager Grady Little said. "I don't think they were feeling too good when they got on the plane last night. Tonight they took the bull by the horns."

The shutout was Cleveland's most onesided since beating the Boston Red Sox 19-0 on May 18, 1955. It came less than 24 hours after the Twins mounted their largest comeback in history at Cleveland's expense.

"I think last night definitely was a wakeup call," pitcher Dave Burba said.

Ramirez added a two-run homer in the sixth and David Justice and Jim Thome hit solo shots as Cleveland took out some frustration while snapping Kansas City's five-game winning streak.

Coming off the bewildering defeat in Minnesota, the Indians made sure their first stay in third place in the AL Central since 1997 was a short one.

They bludgeoned Royals rookie starter Chad Durbin (1-2) for nine runs in 1 1/3 innings and didn't let up against four relievers. The Indians batted around in the second and sixth innings -- scoring five runs in each -- and finished with a season-high 22 hits.

Sandy Alomar and Jolbert Cabrera both went 4-for-5 for the Indians, who were down after going 3-4 on a trip to Toronto and Minnesota.

"We were disappointed with that last game," Alomar said. "This team shouldn't lose games like that. It was kind of embarrassing."

Wright (3-2) won for the first time in five starts, allowing four hits before being replaced by Steve Reed. Wright walked two and struck out four before leaving with tightness in his right shoulder.

For one of the first times this season, everything clicked for the Indians.

"We just got into a zone swinging," Wright said. "I don't know if the guys were a little upset or what, but we came out ready."

Eager to put the devastating losses to the Twins behind them, the Indians came out swinging in the first against Durbin.

Three straight singles loaded the bases for Ramirez, who hit an 0-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers for his ninth homer this season and 11th career grand slam.

"Cleveland has that kind of offense," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "If you give them a crack, they're tough to stop. They didn't need to be awakened. They're always awake and ready."

Roberto Alomar's RBI single put the Indians up 5-0 in the second, and again Ramirez came up with the bases full. But after the first pitch, Kansas City catcher Jorge Fabregas tried to pick Omar Vizquel off first, but overthrew the play allowing two runs to score.

Thome's run-scoring single made it 7-0 and chased Durbin. Richie Sexson then greeted reliever Jason Rakers with an RBI single.

Justice led off the fourth inning with his sixth homer, and one out later, Thome connected for his 10th.

The Indians added five runs in the sixth on Ramirez's homer, Cabrera's run-scoring hit and Vizquel's two-run single.

Game notes
Wright is 4-1 in his career vs. the Royals. ... The Royals haven't won six in a row since June 1995. ... Ramirez's slam was the Indians' first this season. It was his 17th career two-homer game. ... After allowing one run in six innings to win his first start this season at Toronto, Durbin has allowed 33 runs in 33 1/3 innings. ... The start of the game was delayed 47 minutes by rain. ... Ramirez and Thome have homered in the same game 16 times since April 1999. The Indians are 14-2 in those games. ... Indians outfielder Jacob Cruz had reconstructive surgery on his left knee Thursday and will be out for the season. He was injured while making a catch on April 29 against Boston.