Athletics 2, Indians 0
CLEVELAND -- Sonny Gray pitched a two-hit shutout and Stephen Vogt's two-run home provided all the runs as the Oakland A's beat the Cleveland Indians 2-0 Sunday at Progressive Field.
The only hits allowed by Gray, the American League earned run average leader at 2.04, were singles in the fourth and eighth innings. In his first complete game of the season, Gray (10-3) struck out six and walked one.
Right-hander Corey Kluber (4-10), started for the Indians, and got no run support. Kluber came into the game with the worst run support, 2.4 runs per game, of any starting pitcher in the American League.
The Indians have scored two or fewer runs in eight of Kluber's 10 losses. They have scored a total of 16 runs in his 10 losses. The Indians have scored three runs or fewer in 17 of Kluber's 19 starts.
In three career starts vs. the Indians Gray, a right-hander, is 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA, allowing one earned run on nine hits, with 20 strikeouts in 21 innings. Sunday he dominated from start to finish. He retired the first 10 batters he faced with just one ball leaving the infield.
Kluber kept pace with Gray for much of the game, but the A's reached Kluber for two runs in the fourth inning. Center fielder Billy Burns led off the fourth inning with a walk. Catcher Vogt had a home run taken away from him in the first inning when right fielder David Murphy reached over the wall to catch what would have been a homer.
In his next at bat, in the fourth inning, Vogt hit another ball to nearly the same spot, but a little bit further. This one sailed into the right field seats for a two-run home run, Vogt's 14th homer of the year, giving Oakland a 2-0 lead.
The Indians could do nothing with Gray. The Indians got their first hit in the fourth inning. After designated hitter Jason Kipnis grounded out for the first out, shortstop Francisco Lindor bounced a clean single into center field, becoming the first Indians hitter to reach base.
Gray quickly recovered and got the next hitter, left fielder Michael Brantley, to ground into an inning-ending double play. The Indians got the leadoff man on in the fifth inning when Murphy drew a walk. But Gray quickly retired the next three batters, first baseman Carlos Santana on a flyout, catcher Yan Gomes on a groundout and third baseman Giovanny Urshela on a popout.
Following Murphy's walk, Gray retired the next 11 batters in a row before Urshela hit a long single off the left field wall with two outs in the eighth inning. But Gray retired pinch hitter Brandon Moss on a flyball to center to end that inning.
NOTES: Indians LHP Nick Hagadone (lower back strain) could go out on a minor league rehab after the All-Star break. He has been on the DL since July 8. ... Indians manager Terry Francona said the Indians' rotation will line up this way coming out of the All-Star break: RHP Trevor Bauer, followed by RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Carlos Carrasco, RHP Danny Salazar and RHP Cody Anderson. ... The A's recalled RHP Dan Otero from Triple-A Nashville and optioned RHP Chris Bassitt to Nashville.