Jackson’s homer gives Kluber win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It wasn't Corey Kluber at his best, but even on a so-so day, he is still a handful.
Kluber pitched seven innings Sunday, and Austin Jackson hit a goahead homer as the Indians beat the Rays 4-3 at Tropicana Field.
Kluber (11-3, 2.71) struck out nine, running his streak of starts with eight or more strikeouts to 14.
Since coming off the disabled list on June 1, Kluber is 8-1 with a 1.85 ERA in 14 starts. In that stretch, he has struck out 151 in 102 innings to lead all MLB pitchers in those two categories.
Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen finished the game with a scoreless inning each, with Allen earning his 21st save.
Jackson led off the eighth inning with a homer off former Indian Tommy Hunter (2-3) to break a 3-3 tie. It was just the second run the reliever has allowed in his last 21 appearances.
"You give credit where credit is due," said Hunter. "That's 96 to 97 mph off the plate, and he clipped it. He sucked his hands in and got the barrel to the ball."
The Rays, who have scored only 11 runs in their last nine games, had tied the score when Steven Souza Jr. shocked Kluber with a two-run homer in the sixth.
"It's nice to pick him up, not that he pitched bad," said manager Terry Francona, referring to Kluber. "That's two games in a row where we've come back and scored when he's out of the game (to get him the win). If anybody deserves it, it's him."
The Rays, shut out in five of their last eight games coming into Sunday, took a 1-0 lead in the third on three singles. Evan Longoria's two-out single to left delivered catcher Jesus Sucre.
The Indians answered quickly as newcomer Jay Bruce and Carlos Santana hit consecutive RBI doubles with two out in the fourth for a 2-1 lead. It was Bruce's third RBI in two games for his new team. When Santana doubled him home, the fans behind the Tribe dugout chanted "Bruuuuuce.''
Kluber, who had started slowly, retired the Rays on nine pitches in the bottom of the inning. In the fifth, he struck out the side in order.
"They're an aggressive team, so those quick innings can come," said Kluber. "At the same time, if you make mistakes to a team that's swinging a lot, they can jump on you."
Edwin Encarnacion stretched the lead to 3-1 with a two-out homer off Tampa starter Austin Pruitt with two out in the sixth. It was Encarnacion's second homer of the series and 24th of the season.
Then something unexpected happened. Kluber retired Lucas Duda to start the sixth, but he walked Longoria. He came back to strike out Logan Morrison and then engaged in a six-pitch at-bat with Souza. Kluber got ahead in the count 0-2 with a fastball and curveball, but Souza took the next three pitches for balls to run the count full.
That prompted a quick visit from catcher Yan Gomes. After that, Kluber spent a long time pawing at the front of the mound. Souza hammered the next pitch, an 86 mph cut fastball, over the left-field fence to tie the game. It was Souza's 25th homer of the season.
"I was just trying to smooth out my landing spot," Kluber said of his landscaping on the mound. "It had nothing to do with the next pitch I threw."
In the seventh, Souza stung the Indians again. On Francisco Lindor's two-out single to right, Santana was waved home from second, but Souza's strong throw to the plate cut him down to keep the score tied.