Indians pitchers sharp in shutout of Tampa Bay

Corey Kluber earned 17th win of the season, and Brad Hand got his seventh save since being traded to Cleveland as the Indians defeated Tampa, 3-0.

Corey Kluber pitched seven sparkling innings, Edwin Encarnacion homered and the Indians beat the Rays, 3-0, on Aug. 31.

Kluber (17-7) allowed two singles, struck out eight and walked two in Cleveland’s AL-best 14th shutout this season. Cody Allen worked a perfect eighth and Brad Hand finished the two-hitter for his 31st save.

Kluber, making a bid for a second straight AL Cy Young Award, matched Yankees ace Luis Severino for the major-league lead in wins and moved into first place in the AL with 186 2/3 innings.

Encarnacion snapped a scoreless tie with a solo drive to center off Tyler Glasnow (1-4) in the seventh. The Indians added two more in the ninth when Greg Allen scored on a wild pitch and Michael Brantley singled home Francisco Lindor.

Glasnow struck out six in a career-high seven innings. He was working on a no-hitter before Melky Cabrera singled with two out in the fifth.

AL Central-leading Cleveland won for the fourth time in five games as it was making a trade for Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson.

Joey Wendle hit a leadoff single in the first and Tommy Pham singled in the fourth for Tampa Bay’s only hits. The Rays are 9-2 since Aug. 19, matching their best 11-game run in four years.