Cleveland’s Colon Looks Like an Ace

If the Cleveland Indians are still seeking a No. 1 starter, they might try looking in their own rotation.

Bartolo Colon put on a Randy Johnson-like performance Tuesday night, regularly hitting 101 mph on the radar gun during eight shutout innings in the Indians’ 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Colon (8-3), who brought a 5.35 earned-run average into the game, was dominating after winning only once in his previous nine starts. He struck out eight and limited the Pirates to three singles in his best start all season.

“That was definitely one of the better performances I’ve seen,” said the Pirates’ Al Martin, whose career-high 20-game hitting streak ended. “You just don’t see radar-gun numbers like that very often. We hardly got anything good to hit all night.”

Colon was lifted after throwing 120 pitches on a humid, 90-degree night, denying him a possible second shutout against the Pirates. He won, 8-0, at Cleveland with a four-hitter on June 8, 1998, his last shutout in the majors.

“You would have to liken it to Randy Johnson,” Pirate Manager Gene Lamont said. “It was like Colon did against us last year, but I thought he was even better tonight. It wasn’t just the speed, it was his control. He was dominating.”

Mike Jackson pitched the ninth for his 20th save, even though Colon felt strong enough to finish. With only a two-run lead, Indian Manager Mike Hargrove wanted a fresh pitcher on the mound.

“I felt strong from the first pitch to the last,” Colon said. “I was feeling strong but Mr. Hargrove makes those decisions and I respect them.”

Only one leadoff hitter reached base against Colon, Ed Sprague on a seventh-inning single that was Pittsburgh’s only hit in the final five innings. Sprague quickly was retired on a double-play grounder and the Pirates didn’t have another runner.

Colon had been 1-2 with six no-decisions since beating the White Sox, 13-9, on May 17.

The Indians have been seeking pitching help, and were expected to deal prospects for a starter if their starting pitching wasn’t more consistent.

“If he’s not a No. 1 starter, who is?” Martin said.