Mets 6, Indians 0
CLEVELAND -- The New York Mets jumped on former Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber for six runs in the first two innings, Steven Matz pitched seven scoreless innings, and the Mets rolled to a 6-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians Sunday at Progressive Field.
Matz (1-1) gave up three hits, struck out nine and walked two to pick up the victory as the Mets won two of three games in the weekend series.
New York scored three runs in each of the first two innings, although about half of those runs were the result of some freakishly good luck for the Mets and bad luck for Cleveland.
Curtis Granderson led off the game by drawing a walk. Asdrubal Cabrera lined a single to right field, moving Granderson to second. Michael Conforto belted a double off the wall in center field, scoring Granderson and Cabrera, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. Conforto later scored on a single by Lucas Duda.
The second inning was a nightmare for Kluber and the Indians. With two outs and nobody on base, Granderson lifted a fly ball to left-center field. Center fielder Rajai Davis settled under the ball, but then lost it in the sun. The ball dropped in safely and Granderson raced to third with a gift triple.
Cabrera then laid down a perfectly-placed bunt halfway between the pitcher's mound and the third base line. Granderson scored, and Kluber, after fielding the ball, made a rushed throw to first base that sailed down the right field line for an error, allowing Cabrera to advance to second.
Conforto then hit a sharp grounder down the first base line, the ball hit the first base bag and bounced down the right field line for a double. Cabrera scored on the play to extend the Mets lead to 5-0.
Yoenis Cespedes hit another towering fly ball to center field. Again Davis settled under the ball, and again Davis lost it in the sun. The ball dropped in safely, a gift double for Cespedes. Conforto scored as New York's lead grew to 6-0.
That was plenty for Matz, who breezed through the Cleveland lineup. He did not allow a runner past second base in his seven innings of work. The only hits he allowed were a single by Yan Gomes in the second inning, a bunt single by Davis in the third and a double by Francisco Lindor leading off the fourth inning.
Lindor's double was the Indians' best chance to score. But with a runner at second and nobody out Matz retired the next three batters on a popout, a groundout and a strikeout.
Relievers Hansel Robles, Jerry Blevins and Addison Reed pitched the last two innings. The four Mets pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.
NOTES: Indians OF Lonnie Chisenhall will be activated off the disabled list on Wednesday, according to manager Terry Francona. Chisenhall has been on the disabled list since the start of the season with a left wrist impingement. ... Mets RHP Jacob deGrom, who has a sore lat muscle on his right side, threw a bullpen session in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Sunday. Manager Terry Collins talked to deGrom and said deGrom's son is doing better. deGrom is on the family medical emergency list due to health complications with his son. ... Mets C Travis D'Arnaud did not play Sunday due to a bruised left elbow, after getting hit by a pitch Saturday. He will likely miss Monday's game as well. ... Mets 3B David Wright was given a day off Sunday. He has not driven in a run in 33 at-bats this year.