KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Coming off a disappointing homestand, Cliff Lee got the Cleveland Indians ' seven-game road trip off on the right foot.

Lee yielded two hits in seven innings as the Indians recorded a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals .

After winning just two of six home games against Chicago and Minnesota, Lee allowed only two runners in the first five frames. He finished with five strikeouts and two walks and improved to 3-1 with a 1.91 ERA in four lifetime starts against the Royals.

"For the most part I was working ahead, mixing my pitches good and we made the plays," Lee said. "I felt like I was locating my fastball good, and I was able to get strikes with the off-speed stuff. If I made a mistake, I got lucky and they fouled it off."

"When he focuses from pitch to pitch and utilizes all of his (arsenal) he can be his best," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He didn't give in when he fell behind. He just came right back and was able to dial it back in."

Lee, who is from Benton, Arkansas, had several family members in attendance at the game.

"I like pitching in Kansas City," Lee said. "It's a big ballpark and I like pitching here because my family is not far away."

Lee was also one of several Indians players fighting the flu. Reliever David Riske was taken to the hospital prior to the game.

"I was fighting it the whole game, like I was going to (get sick)," Lee said. "Then I just lost it on the way up to the clubhouse."

"Maybe when he's healthy he'll pitch a lot worse," said Royals outfielder Emil Brown , who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Casey Blake and Ben Broussard hit back-to-back home runs against Kansas City starter Zack Greinke (0-1) in the second inning.

"The home runs got us going," Wedge said. "Casey got a pretty good pitch but he was able to drive it."

"We're not used to scoring many runs early," said Blake, who also doubled. "I think it helped Cliff go out there and relax."

In the fourth, rookie Jhonny Peralta and Coco Crisp ripped consecutive triples before Grady Sizemore followed with an RBI single for the Indians, who beat the Royals for the fifth straight time dating to last season.

Greinke, who gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings, has not received a run of support in the 14 2/3 innings he has pitched this season.

"I just never really got comfortable or in a rhythm," Greinke said. "I never felt good."

Kansas City lost for the ninth time in 13 games this season.

"Everything is hard right now," Royals manager Tony Pena said. "Baseball is hard enough as it is. We just need to relax and play."