Cleveland--Cleveland pitcher Corey Kluber shook off early-season doldrums with a vengeance on Wednesday, striking out 18 to lead the Indians to a 2-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kluber's 18 strikeouts matched the Cleveland club record for a nine-inning game set by Indians legend Bob Feller. Hall of Famer Feller struck out 18 Detroit Tigers on October 2, 1938.
Kluber had a chance to break the Major League Baseball mark of 20 strikeouts, shared by Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood, but was pulled before the ninth inning after throwing 113 pitches.
The last pitcher to record 18 strikeouts in a game was Milwaukee's Ben Sheets against the Atlanta Braves on May 16, 2004.
Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, allowed just one hit in the victory, a welcome turnaround in what had so far been a tough season.
He took a loss to open the season, then picked up two straight no-decisions in his next two starts.
He had allowed at least four earned runs in each of his last four outings entering Wednesday with the Indians falling to 0-7 with him on the mound this year.
Although Kluber hit Cardinals batter Matt Holliday in the elbow in the first inning, he then retired 18 straight, including 14 by strikeout.
He struck out the side in the third and fourth innings, and took a no-hitter into the seventh before Jhonny Peralta smacked a two-out single to center.
Kluber had three strikeouts in the seventh. Then, with his pitch count above 100, he fanned Yadier Molina and Mark Reynolds in the eighth and walked off the field to a massive ovation.
AFP
