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CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber began the season as one of the question marks in Clevelands rotation. Nike Free 3.0 womens . The right-hander ends May as one of the top pitchers in the American League. Kluber struck out 12 in 7 1-3 innings to continue his dominant pitching in May and the Indians beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Friday night. "Its fun to write his name in the lineup every five days," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He continues to get better and better. Hes got power, movement and command. Hes pretty good." Kluber (6-3) has been a lot better than pretty good. Other than giving up a two-run homer in the fourth inning to Carlos Gonzalez, he was in complete control of the highest-scoring offence in the NL. He recorded his third double-figure strikeout game this season and ends the month with a 4-0 record and a 2.09 ERA in six starts. Kluber, who struck out a career-high 13 on May 4 against the Chicago White Sox, finished the month with 60 strikeouts in 43 innings. The right-hander allowed five hits with one walk and was given a standing ovation by the crowd of 25,066 when he was pulled after retiring the first batter in the eighth. "To do it against that lineup tonight -- thats a very difficult lineup to strike out," Francona said. "Thats as much, or more impressive as anything, to do it against that team." Kluber, who rarely shows any emotion when hes on the mound, downplayed his accomplishments and says he wasnt aware that he leads the AL with 95 strikeouts. "I had no idea, honestly," he said. "I keep saying when you guys ask me that strikeouts are a by-product of making good pitches. Im not going out there trying to strike guys out." Kluber was given several ovations as his strikeout totals rose, but he remained focused on the task at hand. "Im kind of locked in when Im out there," he said. "I dont really notice." Asdrubal Cabreras two-run homer broke a fifth-inning tie. The Indians snapped a four-game losing streak while the Rockies fell to 2-5 on their nine-game trip. Colorado didnt have a hit through three innings, but Corey Dickerson led off the fourth with a double and Gonzalez homered to right-centre on an 0-1 pitch with one out. "It was a changeup, belt high down the middle, it wasnt a good pitch," Kluber said. Rockies manager Walt Weiss, who was ejected in the sixth inning, was impressed. "That nasty breaking ball, and we knew he did coming in, but he commanded it and it was a good one," Weiss said. "It was hard and late and hes on a good run. And he threw well again tonight." Cleveland chased Juan Nicasio (5-3) with a four-run fifth. Michael Bourns single tied the game before Cabreras homer put Cleveland ahead. Lonnie Chisenhall, who drove in two runs, added an RBI double. Kluber struck out the side in the third. He took control after Gonzalezs homer in the fourth. Seven of the next nine outs were strikeouts and he got Charlie Culberson to bounce into a double play to end the seventh. Cody Allen pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Gonzalez returned to the lineup after not starting Wednesday because of a sore right calf. He fouled a pitch off his leg Tuesday and left the game, and was limited to pinch-hitting duties Wednesday. His home run snapped an 0-for-11 slump, but Colorado has 16 runs in the first seven games of the trip and is 5 for 51 with runners in scoring position. The Rockies frustration boiled over in the sixth when Michael Cuddyer was called out on strikes by plate umpire John Tumpane. Cuddyer angrily argued the call before being pulled away. Weiss continued the argument and was ejected for the first time in his managerial career. Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fifth-inning double and has hit in 19 consecutive home games, a Progressive Field record. Jason Kipnis second-inning single snapped an 0-for-15 slump. He returned Wednesday after missing 25 games with a strained right oblique. NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (broken finger) visited doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, who confirmed the diagnosis of Colorado team doctors that he wont need surgery. The plan is to let the finger heal on its own and theres no timetable for his return. ... Indians 3B/C Carlos Santana (concussion) said hes feeling better, but doesnt know when hell resume physical activities. He was placed on the 7-day DL Tuesday. ... Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister (sore back) threw a simulated game Friday and is scheduled to throw on the side Sunday. ... Rockies LHP Franklin Morales faces RHP Trevor Bauer on Saturday. Nike Free 3.0 V3 Womens . The Bruins suffered their share of setbacks, a notable one just a week earlier. Once the Pac-12 tournament got rolling, the Bruins took off. Nike Free 3.0 V5 Womens UK . The Astros took two of three after losing 15 straight series to the Rangers. Houston overcame a four-run deficit to win. Dexter Fowler singled with one out in the ninth, Jason Castro drew a walk and Dominguez hit a long fly ball off Nick Martinez (0-1).(SportsNetwork.com) - Nail Yakupov faces former junior teammate Alex Galchenyuk as the Edmonton Oilers try for their second victory of the season in a meeting with the Montreal Canadiens. Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 10:30pm at/9:30pm et. The game is also available on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal. Yakupov and Galchenyuk were teammates with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL for two seasons. Yakupov was drafted by the Oilers first overall in 2012 and Galchenyuk was selected two spots later by the Canadiens. Peter Budaj will make his first start of the season in net for the Candiens as Montreal plays the second contest of a four-game swing through western Canada. Budaj is 14-6-3 with a 2.92 GAA and .886 save percentage in 24 meetings with the Oilers, while Carey Price is 1-4-1 with a 3.65 GAA and .853 save percentage in six encounters. All but one of Budajs encounters with the Oilers came while he was with the Colorado Avalanche. He faced them as a member of the Habs on March 8, 2012 and made 24 saves in a win. That was the most recent meeting between these clubs, with the Canadiens snapped a three-game series losing streak with the 5-3 road victory. It was also their first victory in the past five trips to Edmonton. Devan Dubnyk got the start in Edmontons first two games of the season, losses to Winnipeg and Vancouver. The 27-year-old was tagged for 10 goals on 59 shots faced in the two games and was lifted early in favor of Jason LaBarbera in defeat versus the Canucks on Oct. 5. Dubnyk gave up three goals in the first period of that contest, including a pair in the final two minutes of the frame. "Its two games and I felt good for the majority of the first period last game, so Ill just build off that," Dubnyk said on Wednesday. "I know what Ive got to do to go play. Nike Free 3.0 Womens Cheap. Ive done it lots before and Im just excited to go out there and do it again tomorrow." The six-year vet is 1-0-1 with a 3.29 goals against average and .892 save percentage in two meetings with the Canadiens and gets the call tonight despite LaBarbera helping backstop the Oilers to a 5-4 shootout win over New Jersey on Monday. LaBarbera made 21 saves on 25 shots faced through overtime, but turned aside both skaters he faced in the shootout, while Edmontons Jordan Eberle and David Perron converted their chances. It capped a furious comeback for the Oilers, who trailed by three goals entering the third period before getting four straight tallies from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Andrew Ference, Perron and Taylor Hall. The Devils did net a tying goal with 54 seconds left in regulation. "It was a fun game. Its not a situation we want to put ourselves in, but it was a great win. That final period was great," said Nugent-Hopkins, who made his season debut following shoulder surgery. The Canadiens have lost two of three to begin the season and dropped a 3-2 decision in Calgary last night. Montreal yielded a pair of goals in the first period and trailed by three before getting goals from P.K. Subban and Lars Eller. Subban also assisted on Ellers third-period tally, but took a late penalty to halt any chance of a comeback. "We didnt react well to the two mistakes we made in the first period, and its one of those things where we took some penalties in the third period and we shouldnt have taken those type of penalties," Montreal head coach Michel Therrien said. Andrei Markov picked up his 400th career point with an assist, while Eller has notched four goals and six points through the first three games. wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
