, starting for the first time since July 12 because of a sore right knee, was charged with seven runs - three earned - in four innings. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner gave up nine hits, struck out two and threw 72 pitches.Kluber said the knee wasn't an issue, but he needs to work through some problems with his delivery and will watch video of his outing for answers.''It's one less thing on your plate, so to speak,'' he said of the knee. ''I feel fine physically. I feel like I can figure out the other things.'' Although the Indians hold a comfortable lead in the AL Central, Kluber's problems are cause for concern. The right-hander received an injection after his last start and said at that time the knee had bothered him for a few weeks.The Indians gave him 10 days between starts with help from the All-Star break. Kluber was 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA in his first 14 starts, but is 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA in his last seven.''His fastball command was not where it usually is,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. ''That was probably a worry going in. He's such a creature of habit and his routine was different this time.'' Trevor Williams (8-7) pitched six shutout innings. The right-hander who allowed four hits, was credited with his first career complete game and shutout.''I was excited as soon as I saw the pitching matchups because you want to outduel an ace,'' Williams said. ''A matchup with Kluber only happens once every three years - or even every six years.'' Harrison's three-run homer in the second came after two defensive miscues, including a dropped popup by first baseman Yonder Alonso with two outs. The error made all four runs in the inning unearned. Polanco's triple capped a three-run fourth.Harrison played for the first time since July 15 because of a sore hamstring. Starling Marte extended his career-high hitting streak to 16 games with two hits and two RBIs. Corey Dickerson, who had homered in four straight games, was 1 for 3 with a walk.Colin Moran singled with one out in the second. Josh Bell hit a roller to right side that looked like a sure double-play ball, but second baseman Jason Kipnis couldn't field it cleanly and settled for a force play.Alonso and third baseman Jose Ramirez converged on the mound for David Freese's popup. Alonso got a glove on the ball, but he couldn't hold on after the two nearly collided. He was charged with an error.Harrison followed by belting an 0-2 pitch into the left field bleachers. Jordy Mercer doubled, Dickerson walked and Marte singled for a 4-0 lead.''It all started innocently in that second inning,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. ''You have to be opportunistic because who knows how that inning goes. Heck, who knows how the game goes if Alonso doesn't drop that ball.'' Kluber absolved his defense of any blame.''Those two plays had nothing to do with me hanging an 0-2 breaking ball that cost us three runs,'' he said.ROSTER MOVESThe Pirates selected the contract of right-hander Casey Sadler from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned infielder Max Moroff to the same club. Left-hander Josh Smoker was designated for assignment.TRAINER'S ROOMPirates: C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) worked out before the game - blocking balls, catching popups and throwing to bases - but he hasn't been cleared to return.Indians: Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was out for the second straight game because of a bone bruise on his right hand. He was hit by a pitch in the final game before the All-Star break. ... LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) will continue his minor league rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Akron. He will pitch every other day this week and then pitch on back-to-back days this weekend.UP NEXTPirates RHP Joe Musgrove (3-4, 4.08 ERA) takes on Indians RHP Shane Bieber (5-1, 3.53 ERA) in the second game of the series. Bieber will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball)
Indians' Kluber returns to the mound to face sizzling Pirates 3h ago• 3 min read CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber's first start after the All-Star break will be anything but routine. He will be on the mound Monday night at Progressive Field as the Cleveland Indians host the red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series.Kluber (12-5, 2.76 ERA) was given extended rest before and after the break to accommodate his right knee, which received an injection after his last start, an ugly 7-4 loss to the New York Yankees on July 12.Before the injection, Kluber's knee was bothering him for, in his words, "a few weeks," and his performance seemed to reflect that.In his first 14 starts this season, Kluber was 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA. However, in his last six starts he is 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA. It seemed clear that the balky knee was a contributing factor to the mediocre numbers, and Kluber suggested as much."If we looked at the data, there are some things that have changed," Kluber said. "I don't want to try to use it as an excuse or anything, but I think, if anything, it made it a little bit harder to constantly repeat the delivery the way that I would want to. My arm action has been the same. It's just the release point is lower." If there was a silver lining, it's that the knee flareup occurred on the eve of the All-Star break. Kluber, who would have been a candidate to start the All-Star Game, didn't pitch in the game, and manager Terry Francona set up the rotation so Kluber wouldn't pitch until the fourth game after the break, which is Monday night in Cleveland."I would have liked to have pitched in the All-Star Game," Kluber said. "But I think, obviously, the big picture, being healthy for the second half, is more important. With the timing of it and having a break, kind of being able to do this and get some down time, not necessarily miss time, miss starts, things like that, it seemed to make sense." Kluber will have gone 10 days between starts when he takes the mound against the Pirates, who have won nine in a row.In Kluber's last start, the loss to the Yankees, he pitched 7 1/3 innings but gave up six runs and eight hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. He also threw 114 pitches, his second-highest pitch count for a game this season.Monday's start will be Kluber's first career appearance against the Pirates. In three starts in interleague play this year, Kluber is 1-2 with a 6.14 ERA. His career record in interleague games is 13-6 with a 2.57 ERA.He will facing the hottest team in baseball as the Pirates are trying to extend their winning streak to 10 games after polishing off a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a 9-2 victory. Corey Dickerson homered for the fourth straight game, giving him five homers in the span while Starling Marte ran his hitting streak to a career-high 15 straight games by homering.Dickerson went 4-for-5 and recorded 21 bases as the Pirates scored 27 runs in Cincinnati. Marte is batting .381 (24-for-63) with six homers and 15 RBIs during the second-longest streak in the National League this season, one game behind Atlanta's Freddie Freeman."The bats showed up," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Really, everything did, but the offense was out in front of things. We did some damage early today." The Pirates are on their first nine-game winning streak for the first time since June 20-30, 2013. They are seeking 10 straight wins for the first time since June 26-July 5, 2004.In the last 11 games, Pirates starting pitchers have combined to post an 2.80 ERA and Trevor Williams (7-7, 4.36) starts Monday.He, like Kluber, followed a strong start to the season with some bumpy performances of late.In Williams' first nine starts, he was 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA. However, in his last 10 starts, he is 2-5 with a 6.26 ERA and has pitched six innings or more in only two of his last nine starts.Williams' last start was a 2-0 win over Washington on July 11. In that game, he pitched five scoreless innings and gave up four hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Monday will be his first career start against Cleveland.Williams is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in interleague play this year and 4-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his career in interleague games.
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