Kluber strengthens Cy Young case, Indians slug 4 homers in 6-2 win over Yankees
NEW YORK (AP) -- Corey Kluber outpitched Luis Severino in a marquee matchup of All-Stars, and slumping Jose Ramirez homered twice to power the Cleveland Indians past the New York Yankees 6-2 on Monday night for their fifth straight victory.
Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking homer off Severino in the seventh inning and Austin Jackson also went deep for the AL Central leaders, who increased their cushion to seven games over idle Minnesota.
Coming off three consecutive shutouts in a sweep of Kansas City, the defending AL champions ran their scoreless streak to 30 innings before Chase Headley homered against Kluber (13-4) leading off the third. The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner went eight innings and allowed only three hits, rebounding from a loss to Boston last week that ended a five-game winning streak and marked his first defeat since July 4.
Kluber struck out seven and walked one as the Indians (74-56) won for the 14th time in 18 games. The league leader in ERA gave up a go-ahead single to slumping No. 9 batter Todd Frazier with two outs in the fifth, but Ramirez quickly tied it again in the sixth when he sent a 99 mph fastball from Severino (11-6) into the second deck in right field for his fourth career multihomer game -- all this season.
Ramirez came in batting .169 in his previous 20 games and had only one home run since the All-Star break. He also made two excellent defensive plays at second and stole a base, though he was thrown out at third trying to advance on a ball in the dirt.
Speedy rookie Bradley Zimmer created a seventh-inning run with his legs and added an RBI double in the ninth for Cleveland.
Cody Allen finished up with a perfect inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: RHP Danny Salazar (elbow inflammation) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Tuesday at Triple-A Columbus. After that, the team will determine whether his next step is another bullpen or a simulated game. ... OF Abraham Almonte (strained left hamstring) was set to play for Columbus, and OF Lonnie Chisenhall (strained right calf) will join him Tuesday as his rehab assignment gets moved from Double-A Akron. Both are expected to play two or three games with the Clippers in preparation for being activated from the disabled list Friday when major league rosters expand, manager Terry Francona said.
Yankees: DH Matt Holliday (back) has been rehabbing in Florida but could be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a few days because of poor weather, manager Joe Girardi said. ... Slumping RF Aaron Judge sat out and the Yankees plan to rest him again Tuesday, hoping the two-day break will "refresh him and get him going," Girardi said.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer (13-8, 4.59 ERA) tries to win his seventh straight decision Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Bauer is 2-4 with a 4.62 ERA in seven outings against New York. He allowed one run over seven innings in an Aug. 4 win against the Yankees in Cleveland.
Yankees: LHP Jaime Garcia (1-1, 5.47 in AL) makes his fifth start for New York, still looking for his first win. He is 5-8 with a 4.52 ERA in 23 starts combined for the Braves, Twins and Yankees this year. Garcia lost 7-2 to Bauer in his Yankees debut this month.
