Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough on Sunday stepped onto a major-league mound for the first time since being struck in the face with a line drive in early May.

And he didn’t miss a beat. Yarbrough navigated a tough Cleveland Guardians lineup. He also got plenty of run support from his teammates. And the Royals snapped a six-game skid with a 4-1 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field.

“I think it was getting back to work,” Yarbrough said. “I think once the game started, it was a matter of going through my pitches, executing the game plan and things like that. I was really working well with (catcher) Freddy (Fermin) there throughout the game.”

Yarbrough was aggressive early. He attacked hitters with his sinker and curveball in the strike zone. The Guardians chased the curveball all afternoon. Yarbrough generated 19 swings and 10 whiffs with the off-speed pitch.

“We were just trying to keep them guessing between the pitches,” Yarbrough said.

Yarbrough ran into some trouble in the fourth inning, allowing two singles and a walk. Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez hit an RBI single to give the hosts an early 1-0 lead.

However, Yarbrough recovered by retiring six of his last 10 batters he faced. He pitched six innings, allowing one run and striking out five.

“Yarbs was really tremendous from pitch one,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “just coming right at them and throwing tons of strikes. As he does, he gets a lot of soft contact. What a great feeling for him.”

Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel went 2 for 4 with a solo home run and second baseman Michael Massey was 3 for 4 with a two-run triple.

Guardians ace Shane Bieber took the loss. It was the first time he’s lost to the Royals in his career.

The Royals (26-65) snapped a three-game losing streak to the Guardians.

“It’s been great,” Yarbrough said of his return. “To top it all off, with helping the team leave on a good note, has been more than I could ever dream of.”

Here are more notables from Sunday’s game:

Kyle Isbel sparks Royals’ offense The Royals jumped out to an early advantage against the Guardians. In the fifth inning, Isbel hit a solo home off Guardians ace Shane Bieber.

The blast traveled 397 feet into the right-field seats. It was Isbel’s second home run of the season.

“I just got a good pitch to hit and I didn’t miss it,” Isbel said. “... Shane Bieber is one of the best pitchers in the league. He made a mistake on that pitch and I was able to counter on it.”

In the sixth inning, Isbel added a single and set up a crucial scoring opportunity. Massey delivered with a tworun triple.

The run support helped Yarbrough secure a victory in his return from injury.

“I felt good the last week or so,” Isbel said. “It’s about trusting the process and not worrying too much about results.”

Nicky Lopez shines in outfield debut

Royals infielder Nicky Lopez added a new position to his utility toolbox on Sunday. Lopez started in left field for the first time in his MLB career.

In the sixth inning, Lopez earned his first outfield assist. He threw out Guardians shortstop Amed Rosario, who was attempting to advance to third base.

“The ball was hit and I knew I needed to make a play for my teammate,” Lopez said. “I knew they probably would be a little aggressive knowing this is my first time in the outfield in professional baseball. I knew they might try to take an extra base on me.”

Lopez fielded the ball and threw a strike to Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia. Rosario was initially called safe, but the Royals challenged the play. Upon further review, it was determined that Garcia had tagged Rosario before he reached the bag.

“Luckily, I was able to make a good transfer and throw,” Lopez said. “Good tag by (Garcia).”

The Royals won the challenge and got a key second out. That was crucial as KC avoided a big inning when Guardians third baseman Tyler Freeman flew out to end the frame.

What’s next: The Royals are off until July 14 for the All-Star break. The All-Star Game is Tuesday in Seattle. The Royals return to action Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium.