CLEVELAND _ Corey Kluber went the distance and had to wait nearly as long for Indians hitters to come through, but they did in a big way in a 4-1 walk-off win over the Colorado Rockies Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
The Indians (60-50) entered the ninth not needing any help from the bullpen but still trailing 1-0. With one out and Rockies closer Greg Holland on the mound, Edwin Encarnacion and Bradley Zimmer each drew walks to put the tying and winning runs on base.
Down to his last strike, Austin Jackson blooped a single into center field just outside of the diving reach of Charlie Blackmon to tie it 1-1.
On the next pitch, Yan Gomes finished it by belting a three-run home run to left-center field, sending Progressive Field into beldam. In a matter of seconds, the Indians turned what looked to be a frustrating loss into a joyous victory celebration.
Kluber (10-3) delivered another gem, with his second pitch of the game the only exception. Blackmon, in the midst of a terrific season, belted that offering for a solo home run to lead off the game.
From that point, Kluber gave up only two hits over the next eight innings, again displaying the dominance he's shown over the last two-plus months. Kluber recorded 11 strikeouts, marking the 13th consecutive outing in which he's struck out at least eight batters. Only Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez, two Hall of Fame pitchers among the game's all-time greats, have achieved that feat.
The Indians did sustain a loss midway through the game, several hours before the walk-off win, when Michael Brantley left with a sprained right ankle, as announced by the club.
Mark Reynolds led off the fifth inning with a lazy fly ball to Zimmer in center field that looked routine enough, though it ended Brantley's night. Brantley took a couple of steps toward center field and came up hobbling and favoring his right leg. He then sat down in the grass with his hands folded and waited for a trainer to arrive, seemingly knowing this wasn't something he was just going to walk off.
Brantley remained in left field for a few minutes, sitting up as trainers evaluated him. He walked off under his own power until receiving some help to get down the steps leading into the dugout.
Brantley was also placed on the 10-day disabled list on June 16 with a right ankle sprain that kept him off the active roster until June 26.
The Indians had several chances to support Kluber earlier but came up empty.
Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor drew back-to-back walks off German Marquez in the sixth. With one out, Abraham Almonte lined a ball down the line that would have either tied it or possibly given the Indians the lead, but it was snagged by a diving Reynolds, who nearly beat Lindor back to the base for a double play. Jose Ramirez followed with a ground ball to Reynolds that was bobbled. Reynolds recovered and dove to tag Ramirez, who slid head first, to end the inning.
In the seventh, Zimmer received a major league-sized lesson on running out every play to first. The rookie popped up near the mound and relief pitcher Chris Rusin, but the ball dropped between Rusin and third baseman Nolan Arenado.
After a bobble, Arenado fielded the ball and fired to second _ Carlos Santana, on first, surely couldn't run toward second and risk being doubled off _ and second baseman DJ LeMahieu rifled a throw to first, just beating Zimmer to the base to end the inning after he was slow out of the batter's box.
In the eighth, singles by Gomes and Kipnis put runners on the corners with one out. But the rally didn't get anywhere, as Lindor popped out to shallow right field and Almonte grounded into a fielder's choice as the Indians were unable to utilize Kluber's complete game until the last possible second.
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