Kluber throws 5-hit shutout; Indians beat Tigers 4-0
CLEVELAND (AP) - Corey Kluber pitched a five-hit shutout and the Cleveland Indians used a four-run fourth inning to defeat the Detroit Tigers for the fifth straight time this season, 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Kluber (2-3) worked out of jams in the second and fourth to beat Detroit for the second time in two weeks. The right-hander, who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2014, struck out seven and walked two in his second career shutout and eighth complete game.
Anibal Sanchez (3-3) didn't allow a hit through three innings. But he gave up four runs on three hits, a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the fourth.
Michael Brantley's RBI single and Mike Napoli's run-scoring double gave Cleveland a 2-0 lead. Another run scored on Sanchez's wild pitch before Yan Gomes' double capped the scoring in a game that took only 2 hours, 19 minutes.
The crowd of 8,776 narrowly topped the smallest in Progressive Field history (8,726) in 2011. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 of their NBA playoff series Wednesday night across the street at Quicken Loans Arena.
Cleveland swept a three-game series at Comerica Park last month and won the opener of this three-game set Tuesday night.
Kluber worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and threw 21 pitches in the inning, including nine straight balls.
Nick Castellanos singled with one out, followed by walks to James McCann and Anthony Gose. Jose Iglesias bounced into a force play at home and Ian Kinsler struck out.
Kluber dodged trouble again in the fourth when Detroit had runners on first and third with nobody out after Justin Upton doubled and Castellanos singled.
Third baseman Juan Uribe fielded McCann's grounder, looked Upton back to the bag and threw to second to start a double play. Gose struck out to end the inning.
Sanchez allowed one baserunner - a leadoff walk to Carlos Santana in the first - through three innings. The right-hander temporarily unraveled in the fourth, though.
Santana drew a leadoff walk and Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch on the left elbow with one out. Brantley's single to right gave Cleveland the lead. Napoli's double fell near the right-field line, scoring Lindor.
Sanchez's wild pitch with Gomes batting scored Brantley. Gomes doubled over Gose's head in center field for the final run.
After that, Sanchez set down nine in a row. He gave up four hits in seven innings, struck out seven and walked three.
Castellanos, who leads the AL with a .378 batting average, was 2 for 3.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: OF Cameron Maybin (sore right shoulder), on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo, is throwing at 120 feet. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list in March with a broken left wrist after being hit by a pitch. Maybin injured his shoulder after starting his rehab assignment.
Indians: C Roberto Perez (broken right thumb) could learn Thursday if he needs surgery when he'll be re-evaluated by team doctors. He's been wearing a splint on his hand since Saturday, when he was injured tagging a runner at the plate.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer, the team's top pitching prospect, makes his second major league start Thursday night in Cleveland. He won his debut against Minnesota on Friday, allowing two runs in five innings.
Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer earned the win against Detroit on April 24 after teammate Carlos Carrasco exited in the third inning with a pulled hamstring. Bauer will be making his second start of the season.