Kluber pitches Indians past Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Corey Kluber threw a complete-game three-hitter to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels Friday night at Angel Stadium.
Kluber allowed only an RBI groundout to Mike Trout in the first inning and a run that scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning on the way to his second complete game of the season. He led the majors with four complete games last year.
The victory for Kluber (6-6) marked his first career win against the Angels, leaving the Oakland A's as the only American League team he has not beaten.
The Angels' only hits in the game came from Yunel Escobar (two) and Kole Calhoun. The Angels' 3-4-5 hitters -- Trout, Albert Pujols and Jefrey Marte -- went a combined 0 for 12.
The Indians offense had 10 hits in the game, seven of them coming in the first two innings when they scored all six of their runs against Angels starter Hector Santiago. Santiago lasted only 1 1/3 innings, failing to last more than four innings for the fourth time in his last five starts.
Jason Kipnis led the way with three hits and Michael Martinez had two. Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana each had an RBI double, Jose Ramirez had an RBI single and Francisco Lindor had a sacrifice fly, helping the American League Central-leading Indians to their eighth win in 10 games.
The Indians put together a two-out rally in the first inning against Santiago, getting RBI doubles by Napoli and Santana, and an RBI single by Ramirez for a 3-0 lead. Angels third baseman Escobar's throwing error led to the fourth run of the inning.
Escobar doubled and scored on a Trout groundout in the bottom of the first, but the Indians added two more runs in the second inning, knocking Santiago out of the game. Kipnis drove in one with an RBI single and Lindor added a sacrifice fly, putting Cleveland up 6-1.
Kluber gave up the double to Escobar leading off the bottom of the first, then retired 15 of the next 16 Angels hitters through the end of the fifth, giving up only a one-out walk to Johnny Giavotella in the second inning.
NOTES: Angels 1B/DH C.J. Cron, who started 43 of the club's first 59 games, did not start for the second game despite not being injured. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he wanted to get hot-hitting 1B/3B Jefrey Marte into the lineup. Marte went 3-for-6 with two homers in the final two games of the series against the Yankees. ... The Indians selected RHP Aaron Civale from Northeastern University in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft. During an exhibition game against the Red Sox in spring training in 2015, Civale struck out David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Mike Napoli and Xander Bogaerts in a two-inning appearance. ... Angels RHP Tim Lincecum is expected to make his third rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake at Fresno on Sunday. ... Indians C Yan Gomes returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a bruised groin, suffered Tuesday in Seattle.