CLEVELAND _ Indians ace Corey Kluber elevated his recent stretch to a plateau no other pitcher in franchise history has reached, but a lineup that came up short multiple times and a run of poor defensive plays led to a 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night in front of a sellout crowd at progressive Field.
Kluber, who was named to his second All-Star team on Sunday and then won the American League Pitcher of the Month award on Monday, turned in another dominating start, allowing one run on five hits and one walk and striking out 10 in eight innings.
With the 10th and final strikeout coming against Padres outfielder Manuel Margot in the eighth inning, Kluber became the first pitcher in Indians history to ever have double-digit strikeouts in five consecutive starts. He had been tied with Bob Feller, who struck out 10-plus in four consecutive outings from 1938-39. After the record-setting strikeout, Kluber received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Kluber (7-3) also became only the seventh right-handed starting pitcher in baseball to accomplish that feat since 1913, joining Max Scherzer, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan, Dwight Gooden, Curt Schilling and J.R. Richard.
The Padres' lone run in the fifth was an earned run, but the Indians' infield defense might take half the blame for it. With two runners on and nobody out, Erick Aybar grounded a ball to shortstop Francisco Lindor. Instead of flipping it to Jason Kipnis at second base, Lindor ran it himself and stepped on the bag. Cory Spangenberg followed with a ground ball to Kipnis, who bobbled it and could only get the out at second base, allowing Hector Sanche to score from third. Despite two chances at a double play, the Padres (35-48) took a 1-0 lead.
The Indians (44-38) had their scoring chances, putting a runner on third in four consecutive innings against Padres starting pitcher Trevor Cahill. All four times, they came up empty.
Jose Ramirez continued his torrid stretch at the plate, ripping a triple to center field with one out in the second inning. Lonnie Chisenhall grounded a ball back to Cahill, who threw to first for the easy second out. As he did, Ramirez took off and was nailed at the plate to end the inning.
Carlos Santana singled and was helped to third base by a wild pitch and an error but was stranded there on Kipnis' groundout to first base to end the inning. The Indians had two runners in scoring position in the fourth after Edwin Encarnacion walked and Ramirez singled and then advanced on a wild pitch. That inning ended with Chisenhall grounding out.
In the fifth, the Indians took it a step further and loaded the bases against reliever Jose Torres (5-2). Bradley Zimmer singled, Kipnis reached on a fielder's choice and Lindor walked. With two outs, Michael Brantley grounded a ball to shortstop Aybar and was thrown out at first on a bang-bang play.
The Indians were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left seven men stranded on base.
