Kluber throws gem to led Indians over Red Sox, 2-0

CLEVELAND _ Corey Kluber has had an up-and-down season, but he saved one of his best outings of the season for his last as the Indians beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Saturday night at a cold, rainy Progressive Field.tmpplchld Following a 30-minute rain delay and with temperatures in the 50s, Kluber shut down the Red Sox to the tune of three hits and nine strikeouts in eight scoreless innings.tmpplchld Kluber started the game by striking out seven batters in the first three innings. No Red Sox (78-83) hitter reached second base after the first inning, when Mookie Betts led off the game with a single and stole second.tmpplchld Kluber will finish the season with a 9-16 record, becoming the first pitcher to lose at least 16 games with at least 200 strikeouts since Nolan Ryan went 8-16 for the Houston Astros in 1987. And despite an ERA of 3.49 and a FIP of 2.98 after Saturday’s outing, Kluber this year became the first Indians pitcher to lose at least 16 games since Greg Swindell went 9-16 in 1991.tmpplchld Cody Allen entered the game in the ninth inning and picked up his 33rd save of the season with a 1-2-3 inning.tmpplchld Offensively, the Indians got everything they needed on two big swings. Facing Red Sox starting pitcher Craig Breslow (0-4) in the second inning, Carlos Santana turned on a pitch on the outside part of the plate and drilled it for a solo home run to left field, his 19th of the season. Ryan Raburn did the same two innings later, belting a solo shot that landed halfway up the bleacher seats in left field, putting the Indians ahead 2-0.tmpplchld Jason Kipnis left the game in the top of seventh inning. Jose Ramirez took his place at second base. Kipnis went 1-for-3 with a single.tmpplchld Santana later added a double in the eighth inning, ending his night 2-for-3. Francisco Lindor, in his on-going case for American League Rookie of the year, went 1-for-4 with a double. And Yan Gomes finished 2-for-4 with a single and a double.tmpplchld Saturday night’s win brought the Indians back to .500 (80-80) heading into Sunday’s finale against the Red Sox.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)tmpplchld Visit the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio) at www.ohio.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld