Indians 5, Mariners 3
SEATTLE -- Cleveland ace Corey Kluber gave up two home runs for the first time this season, but the Indians offense did enough to extend his winning streak to three consecutive decisions in a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
Cleveland (22-25) had a three-run fourth inning on the way to a 5-1 lead, but home runs by Seattle catcher Mike Zunino and left fielder Dustin Ackley kept the Mariners in the game. Ackley's two-out, two-run homer in the sixth brought Seattle within 5-3, but the Mariners managed only one hit the rest of the way.
Kluber (3-5) struck out 13, giving him 50 K's over his last four starts. He allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings. He hadn't allowed a home run since May 7 and had given up just two in five previous starts this month before Zunino and Ackley took him deep Thursday.
Seattle starter James Paxton (3-3) came out after 83 pitches because of what the Mariners called discomfort in the middle finger of his pitching hand. The left-hander allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings. His injury will be re-evaluated Friday.
Cleveland finished with 10 hits while improving to 8-2 since May 19. The Indians' No. 7, 8 and 9 hitters went 5-for-10 and scored five runs.
Closer Cody Allen earned his 10th save of the season after pitching a scoreless ninth, which included a pinch-hit appearance by Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano after the usual No. 3 hitter was out of the lineup for the first time this season due to flu-like symptoms.
Seattle (23-24) had its three-game winning streak snapped and was trying to go above .500 for the first time since winning on Opening Day. The Mariners went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts with runners in scoring position.
The last time Kluber gave up more than one home run in a game was on Sept. 1, 2014, when the Tigers took him deep three times in Detroit's 12-1 win over the Indians.
The Indians used a three-run fourth to jump out to a 4-1 lead off Paxton.
Three singles, a walk and an error on Mariners shortstop Chris Taylor opened the door for Cleveland's red-hot offense to break a 1-1 tie and eventually score three runs in the fourth.
Solo home runs by Cleveland first baseman Brandon Moss and Zunino led to a 1-1 tie through the first three innings.
Moss hit a one-out homer in the top of the second inning.
Zunino hit his seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the third, ending a string of 11 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Mariners by Kluber, who pitched a three-hit shutout in his only previous start facing Seattle.
Paxton gave up back-to-back, one-out singles and a walk to load the bases in the fourth before second baseman Jason Kipnis, third baseman Mike Aviles and left fielder Michael Bradley each drove in a run as the Indians pulled out to a 4-1 lead.
NOTES: Mariners 2B Robinson Cano (flu-like symptoms) was held out of the starting lineup for the first time this season, though he pinch hit in the ninth and flied out. Manager Lloyd McClendon said pregame that Cano received intravenous fluids for dehydration since playing in Wednesday's game at Tampa Bay. ... The Indians placed RHP Scott Atchison (left ankle) on the 15-day disabled list and 1B Carlos Santana on the paternity list. Cleveland recalled RHP Austin Adams and selected the contract of OF Jerry Sands from Triple-A Columbus. ... Cleveland RHP Corey Kluber faced the Mariners for the second time in his career. His only other start against Seattle came last July, when he threw a complete-game three-hitter in a 2-0 win.