Indians 6, Mariners 0
Indians 6, Mariners 0: Justin Masterson outdueled Felix Hernandez and Michael Brantley had a career high-tying four RBIs as Cleveland rolled past visiting Seattle for its 17th victory in the last 21 games.
Coming off a four-hit shutout of the New York Yankees in his last start, Masterson (7-2) was in fine form again - allowing three singles and striking out a season-high 11 over seven innings. Brantley had an RBI single and scored on an error in the first inning before delivering a three-run homer off Hernandez (5-3) in the second.
Hernandez, who left Tuesday’s outing against the Yankees after tweaking his back, needed 35 pitches to get through the first inning. The 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner managed to strike out eight, but needed 107 pitches to go a season-low five innings - giving up six runs (five earned) and eight hits.
Michael Bourn ended a six-pitch at-bat in the first with a leadoff double and Brantley followed with a soft liner into right two batters later, alertly taking second base on the throw home. Brantley came around to score when Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak made a fielding error on Nick Swisher’s grounder.
Bourn and Jason Kipnis each had two-out singles in the second to set the table for Brantley, who lifted Hernandez’s sinker into the Indians’ bullpen in right-center. Drew Stubbs added an RBI groundout in the fourth and Masterson cruised until he departed, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced, including seven by strikeout.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Brantley – who had logged only 25 career at-bats as a No. 3 hitter entering Sunday – recorded his first four-RBI game since May 16, 2011 against the Kansas City Royals. … Masterson posted the third double-digit strikeout effort of his career and his most since fanning a career-high 12 against the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 30, 2009. … Cleveland improved to 7-1 against former Cy Young Award winners this season.