Deja Vu as Kluber, Tribe Trample Twins

In three starts against the Twins this season, Kluber has given up four runs on seven hits in 26 innings.

Corey Kluber flirted with a no-hitter for the second consecutive outing against the Minnesota Twins before finishing with a one-hitter in his second straight complete game as the Cleveland Indians cruised to a 6-1 win Friday night. He had just two hits total over that span. “He’s a guy that, with his stuff and experience, you get him a lead, he’s going to be tough”.

But that was all the Twins could muster off Kluber. The Indians scored three runs of Graham in his two and third innings of work. “It all comes down to just executing pitches”. This certainly does not mean that he’s only been roughly up a few times, and those seven starts account for nearly a third of his season.

After missing almost the entire 2013 season due to Tommy John surgery, Tomlin went 6-9 with a 4.76 ERA last year before undergoing shoulder surgery prior to this season. May was pulled after just three innings, and the Tribe added another run in the fourth on a Mike Aviles RBI single.

“I think both games I’ve pitched against them they’ve been aggressive”. Five players had multi-hit nights for the Indians. Aaron Hicks misplayed a fly ball into a triple and then the next batter, Giovanny Urshela hit a two-run home run to put the Indians in front.

The Indians’ chance for more runs was thwarted as Lonnie Chisenhall was thrown out at the plate by Twins left-fielder Eddie Rosario to end the inning. When he was moved to the bullpen, there was a case to be made that he was the best starter the Twins had, and he did well in his bullpen role. The right-hander lasted just two innings in his major-league debut against Toronto on August. 5, allowing six runs.

“I felt good”, May said.

Indians: OF Michael Brantley was out of the lineup with a sore left throwing shoulder and Francona said he could be out of the lineup for a “couple, three days”. Sometimes outfield assists are a product of teams being willing to take every gamble against an outfielder, but in Rosario’s case, I would think teams will start to realize that even if he doesn’t have top-of-the-charts arm strength, his throws are incredibly accurate. To make room for Tomlin, the club optioned RHP Shawn Armstrong to Triple-A Columbus….

Trevor May (8-8) made the spot start for the Twins in place of Phil Hughes who was placed on the disabled list Thursday. The only true hiccup came in the fourth when Kluber’s arch enemy Joe Mauer (apparently a holder of some Klubot kryptonite) smoked an elevated off-speed pitch to deep right center for a solo home run.

RHP Josh Tomlin will make his first big league start of the season Saturday night when he faces Minnesota’s rookie right-hander Tyler Duffey (0-1, 27.00) at Target Field at 7:10.