|
 Kluber struck out 18 batters in eight innings, tying the Indians'
record for a nine-inning game, as Cleveland beat the St. Louis
Cardinals 2-0 at Progressive Field.
Kluber had a no-hitter going until shortstop Jhonny Peralta singled
with two outs in the seventh. It was the only hit off the Cleveland
right-hander.
Kluber, who did not walk a batter, was bidding to become the first
Indians pitcher to pitch a no-hitter since Lenny Barker threw a
perfect game on May 15, 1981.
Kluber's 18 strikeouts are the most by a major league pitcher this
season and it ties the Indians' club record for a nine-inning game
set by Bob Feller on Oct. 2, 1938, against the Detroit Tigers.
"That was something special. You're not going to see something like
that very often," said Cleveland manager Terry Francona.
"He was as good, if not better, than anybody I've ever faced in the
big leagues," said Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter.
With Kluber's pitch count at 113 (74 strikes), closer Cody Allen
entered and pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save. Kluber and
Allen combined to strikeout 19 with no walks.
According to Elias, it's only the second time since 1900 that a team
has recorded 19 strikeouts and allowed one or zero hits. The other
was the Cubs' Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout one-hitter over Houston on
May 6, 1998.
After Kluber struck out Carpenter and left fielder Pete Kozma to
start the seventh inning, Peralta hit a sharp grounder up the middle
and into center field for a clean single.
"I was behind 2-0. It was a decent pitch, and I got the ground ball.
It just found a hole," said Kluber.
Kluber (1-5) only allowed two baserunners in the game. He hit left
fielder Matt Holliday with a pitch in the first inning, then retired
the next 18 batters in a row prior to Peralta's single.
Kluber had a 5.04 ERA and was winless in his first seven starts this
season, with the Indians losing all seven games. On Wednesday,
though, he was virtually unhittable. He struck out the side in the
third, fourth and seventh innings, and struck out two in the first,
fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
"You don't strike out that many guys if you're not on top of your
game," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny. "He made pitches all
night long. He had good velocity without much effort. It was getting
on guys and he was climbing the ladder and getting high strikes. His
breaking stuff was very sharp."
"I think we got a taste of why he won the Cy Young last year," said
Carpenter.
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The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Cardinals
right-hander John Lackey (2-2) walked the first two batters he faced
-- second baseman Jason Kipnis and first baseman Carlos Santana.
Kipnis later scored on a single by right fielder Brandon Moss, and
designated hitter David Murphy singled to score Santana.
Lackey (2-2) gave up two runs on five hits and five walks in 5 2/3
innings.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected from the game in the
fourth after Lackey hit Kipnis in the back with two outs and nobody
on base.
That was apparently in retaliation for Kluber hitting Holliday in
the first inning. Holliday, who was struck in the left elbow, stayed
in the game but was removed after the first inning.
After Kipnis was hit, Francona came out of the dugout and was
quickly thrown out of the game by home plate umpire Mike Everitt.
"I knew if I went out there I would get tossed, but I wanted him
(Everitt) to tell me (Lackey) didn't hit (Kipnis) on purpose,"
Francona said. "But he wouldn't."
NOTES: Cardinals OF Jon Jay continues to be bothered by a sore thumb
and was not in the starting lineup. ... Indians INF Mike Aviles
remains on the family emergency list in order to be with 4-year-old
daughter Adriana, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. ...
Indians C Yan Gomes could begin a rehab at Class A Lake County
(Ohio) on Friday. Gomes has been on the disabled list since April 12
with a sprained right knee.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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