Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Corey Kluber outdueled Felix Hernandez and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Seattle Mariners, 2-0, in the second of three games from Progressive Field on Wednesday.
Kluber (11-6) was dominant over nine innings, allowing just three hits with no walks and eight strikeouts to win his fourth straight decision and earn his first career shutout.
He is the first pitcher since Jim Scott of the White Sox in 1914 to go nine innings and face 28 batters in two straight starts and became just the fourth pitcher to throw an 85-pitch shutout against an American League team in the past 20 years.
Yan Gomes drove in both of Cleveland's runs with a double in the fifth inning and Nick Swisher had two hits for the Indians, who have won two of their last three.
Hernandez (11-3) was tagged with the loss despite giving up just two runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over seven frames. However, the right-hander set an MLB record for allowing two or fewer runs in at least seven innings in 14 straight games, breaking Tom Seaver's mark.
Seattle mustered just three hits to lose for the sixth time in its past eight games.
Hernandez was perfect until the fifth inning. Carlos Santana opened the home half with a walk, Lonnie Chisenhall doubled and Swisher reached on an infield single to load the bases. Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano fielded the ball, but no one was at first to retire Swisher.
David Murphy grounded into a force out that retired Santana at home for the first out, but Gomes stroked a grounder down the right-field line for a two- run double.
In the fourth, Cano singled to right and advanced to second on Murphy's fielding error. Kendrys Morales grounded out to first to strand his team's lone runner in scoring position.
Game Notes
It was Kluber's 13th game with at least eight strikeouts this season ... Kluber is 4-0 with a 1.54 ERA in July ... Hernandez lost his first game since June 13 against Texas ... Cleveland has won seven of the last eight against Seattle at Progressive Field ... Prior to the game, the Indians traded pitcher Justin Masterson to St. Louis for outfielder James Ramsey ... The home team has won 15 of the last 20 games in this series ... Game time: 2:10.
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