Three Indians homers -- by Michael Brantley, Brandon Moss and Yan Gomes -- accounted for eight runs in a 9-4 victory at Cincinnati on Saturday night.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Corey Kluber allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings and three Cleveland Indians homers accounted for eight runs in a 9-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Tribe homers came from Michael Brantley, Brandon Moss and Yan Gomes.
Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox Sports 1 telecast:
Streak snapped: The Indians (43-47) had lost three in a row.
Battle of Ohio secured: The Indians clinched the season series. They lead, 4-1, with one game remaining.
The Reds (40-48) were swept in a three-game series in Cleveland, May 22-24.
Rare air: The Tribe had not scored nine-plus since May 27. It had not scored nine-plus with Kluber on the mound since May 24, 2014.
Kluber entered with an average run support of 2.30, lowest in MLB.
Feasting on the National League: Kluber (5-10, 3.38 ERA) gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out five. He exited in the eighth with runners on second and third and two outs; Cody Allen allowed a three-run homer to Jay Bruce.
Kluber improved to 10-1 with a 1.87 ERA in 11 career interleague starts. He has struck out 88 and walked seven in 77 innings.
Setting the tone: The Tribe led, 3-0, six pitches into the game against Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (5-7, 3.99).
Jason Kipnis fouled a first-pitch fastball (90 mph), then lined a cutter (86) past second baseman Brandon Phillips and into center field for a single. Catcher Brayan Pena had set up on the outside corner; the pitch stayed over the plate at the thighs.
Francisco Lindor fouled a first-pitch fastball (90), then chopped a fastball (92) through the middle for a single. Pena had set up on the outside corner; the pitch stayed over the plate at the shins. Kipnis stopped at second.
Brantley took a fastball (91) on the outside corner at the knees for a strike. (It might have been outside.)
Fox Sports 1 play-by-play voice Joe Davis said: "(DeSclafani) is a guy who, historically, has pounded the zone. Throws his fastball as much as anybody in the National League. Sometimes, that can be to a fault, though.''
FS1 analyst C.J. Nitkowski, a former MLB pitcher, said: "Absolutely. You have to be a little bit careful about pumping too many fastballs in there, especially against an American League team. The Indians are having an off-year offensively, but you've got to be very careful here against Michael Brantley.''
Brantley smashed a fastball (92) into the right-field seats for his sixth. Pena had set up on the outside corner; the pitch veered to the inner third below the knees.
Nitkowski said: "Michael Brantley has a great swing, great bat speed....This pitch...that is the danger zone to just about any left-handed hitter with power -- down and in.''
Two more three-balls: The Tribe scored three in the third to make it 6-1 and three in the seventh to make it 9-1.
In the third, Lindor led off by drilling a first-pitch curve into the right-field corner for a double. Pena had set up on the outside corner; the pitch darted down and in.
With one out, Carlos Santana smoked an RBI double to left-center. Santana stayed on a 1-1 fastball on the outer third at the belt. Terrific approach and swing.
With two outs, Moss belted an 0-2 cutter (87) from DeSclafani into the right-field seats for his 15th. It snapped an 0-for-21. Pena had set up on the outside corner; the pitch stayed over the plate at the thighs.
In the seventh, Kipnis led off against righty Nate Adcock with a walk. Kipnis stole second and moved to third on Brantley's one-out grounder. Santana walked and stole second without a throw -- his sixth steal in seven attempts this season.
Adcock, perhaps rattled by Santana's swipe, grooved a 2-0 sinker to Gomes, who had no choice but to visit the upper tank in left for his fourth.
Superb night: Santana, continuing his hot July, went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two walks.
In the fifth, he stayed on a 1-1 fastball away and ripped it to left for a double. Another terrific approach and swing, stemming from less leg kick and being more upright at impact.
Mental lapse: Lindor failed to run out a pop to center in the seventh.
Nitkowski said: "You're looking at a 21-year-old rookie who does not run that ball out. Yes, Billy Hamilton is a great center fielder; he's going to catch that ball. But I don't want my 21-year-old rookie not running balls out, and I doubt (Tribe manager) Terry Francona does, either.''
Klubot at work: Here is the final pitch of each AB vs. Kluber:
First inning
(R) Brandon Phillips -- single to left-center (3-2 fastball at thighs).
(L) Joey Votto -- double to right (0-0 fastball above knees inner half).
(R) Todd Frazier -- grounder to pitcher (1-2 fastball off outside corner at shins).
(L) Jay Bruce -- sacrifice fly to right (0-1 changeup off outside corner at belt); Votto erased attempting to advance to third by catcher Gomes.
Second inning
(R) Marlon Byrd -- liner to left (1-0 cutter over plate above knees). Brantley diving catch while moving in and to the right.
(L) Brayan Pena -- liner to left (2-1 fastball outer third above belt).
(R) Eugenio Suarez -- swinging strikeout (0-2 fastball inner half at belt). Nine-pitch half-inning.
Third inning
(R) Anthony DeSclafani -- grounder to pitcher (0-1 cutter outer third).
(L) Billy Hamilton -- swinging strikeout (2-2 cutter over plate).
(R) Brandon Phillips -- pop to left (1-2 cutter over plate at thighs). Phillips missed a pitch to hit.
Fourth inning
(L) Joey Votto -- single to right (0-1 chanegup over plate and up).
(R) Todd Frazier -- fielder's choice, third to second (1-2 cutter down and away). Double play lost when ball slipped out of Jason Kipnis's hand during relay.
(L) Jay Bruce -- single to right (1-2 cutter over plate below knees). Kluber missed spot; Gomes set up on outside corner.
(R) Marlon Byrd -- swinging strikeout (2-2 cutter in lefty's batter's box). Shocking to see Byrd get fooled as badly as he did.
(L) Brayan Pena -- fly to center (3-1 fastball inner half at thighs). Kluber fell behind, 3-0. After a called strike (fastball), Kluber challenged and was fortunate Pena was batting and not, as one example, Votto.
Fifth inning
(R) Eugenio Suarez -- fly to center (0-0 fastball down). Kluber's location ruined Suarez's attempted ambush.
(R) Jason Bourgeois (PH) -- grounder to short (1-1 fastball over plate). Lindor smooth play up the middle.
(L) Billy Hamilton -- liner to right (2-0 fastball inner third at knees). Hamilton with (near) warning-track power. Seven-pitch half-inning; Kluber 62 through five.
Sixth inning
(R) Brandon Phillips -- single to left (2-0 cutter over plate above knees).
(L) Joey Votto -- single to left (1-2 fastball down and in). Gomes appeared to want the pitch up and in, but it turned out to be well-located anyway. Credit Votto for figuring out how to get barrel to ball and dumping it into left.
(R) Todd Frazier -- fielder's choice, first to short (0-0 breaking pitch off plate outside at knees). Slow roller put runners on first and third.
(L) Jay Bruce -- swinging strikeout (3-2 cutter inside corner at knees). Kluber's best cutter of the game.
(R) Marlon Byrd -- swinging strikeout (0-2 cutter outer third at shins). Kluber ovematched Byrd: swinging strike (93-mph fastball up), called strike (83-mph breaking pitch over plate), swinging strike (90 cutter). Kluber's second-best cutter of game.
Seventh inning
(L) Brayan Pena -- pop to third (1-1 fastball).
(R) Eugenio Suarez -- fly to right (1-1 cutter over plate at thighs).
(L) Skip Schumaker (PH) -- fly to center (2-1 fastball). Ten-pitch half-inning.
Eighth inning
(L) Billy Hamilton -- grounder to short (0-2 fastball away).
(R) Brandon Phillips -- single to center (0-2 breaking pitch down). B-Phil took big swing, blooped it in front of Michael Bourn.
(L) Joey Votto -- walk (3-2 fastball high). Votto 3-for-3 with walk.
(R) Todd Frazier -- fly to center (2-1 cutter). Each runner advanced one base as Bourn caught ball on track.
(Kluber relieved by Cody Allen, received ovation from pockets of GABP.)