Indians 2, Cardinals 0
CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber struck out 18 batters in eight innings, tying the Indians' record for a nine-inning game, as Cleveland beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Kluber had a no-hitter going until shortstop Jhonny Peralta singled with two outs in the seventh. It was the only hit off the Cleveland right-hander.
Kluber, who did not walk a batter, was bidding to become the first Indians pitcher to pitch a no-hitter since Lenny Barker threw a perfect game on May 15, 1981.
Kluber's 18 strikeouts tied the Indians' club record for a nine-inning game set by Bob Feller on Oct. 2, 1938, against the Detroit Tigers.
With Kluber's pitch count at 113 (74 strikes), closer Cody Allen entered and pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save. Kluber and Allen combined to strikeout 19 with no walks.
After Kluber struck out third baseman Matt Carpenter and left fielder Pete Kozma to start the seventh inning, Peralta hit a sharp grounder up the middle and into center field for a clean single.
Kluber (1-5) only allowed two baserunners in the game. He hit left fielder Matt Holliday with a pitch in the first inning, then retired the next 18 batters in a row prior to Peralta's single.
Kluber, the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner, was winless in his first seven starts this season, with the Indians losing all seven games. On Wednesday, though, he was virtually unhittable. He struck out the side in the third, fourth and seventh innings, and struck out two in the first, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Cardinals right-hander John Lackey walked the first two batters he faced -- second baseman Jason Kipnis and first baseman Carlos Santana. Kipnis later scored on a single by right fielder Brandon Moss, and designated hitter David Murphy singled to score Santana.
Lackey (2-2) gave up two runs on five hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona was ejected from the game in the fourth after Lackey hit Kipnis in the back with two outs and nobody on base.
That was apparently in retaliation for Kluber hitting Holliday in the first inning. Holliday, who was struck in the left elbow, stayed in the game but was removed after the first inning.
After Kipnis was hit, Francona came out of the dugout and was quickly thrown out of the game by home plate umpire Mike Everitt.
NOTES: Cardinals OF Jon Jay continues to be bothered by a sore thumb and was not in the starting lineup. ... Indians INF Mike Aviles remains on the family emergency list in order to be with 4-year-old daughter Adriana, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. ... Indians C Yan Gomes could begin a rehab at Class A Lake County (Ohio) on Friday. Gomes has been on the disabled list since April 12 with a sprained right knee.