Kluber's 5-Hitter Leads Indians Over White Sox 3-1
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Corey Kluber pitched a five-hitter to win for the first time in a month, rookie Jose Ramirez hit a go-ahead triple in a two-run seventh inning and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 Saturday night.
Kluber (14-9) allowed an unearned run, struck out eight and walked none in his third big league complete game -- all this season. He had been 0-3 in four starts since winning at the New York Yankees on Aug. 9 and in his previous start allowed a career-high three homers in a 12-1 loss to Detroit on Monday.
Third-place Cleveland closed within five games of first-place Kansas City in the AL Central. The Indians are four games back of Seattle, which played later Saturday, for the AL's second wild card.
White Sox starter Jose Quintana allowed one run and seven hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked one.
With the score 1-1, Michael Bourn walked with one out in the seventh against Zach Putnam (4-3) after fouling off a pair of full-count pitches and scored when Ramirez tripled off the wall in right-center. Four pitchers later, Ramirez came home on Michael Brantley's single.
Chicago, which has lost 13 of 17, threatened when Conor Gillaspie singled with one out in the ninth. After Avisail Garcia hit into a forceout, Kluber struck out Andy Wilkins on a curveball.
Kluber retired his first seven hitters before Jordan Danks singled off the glove of a leaping Jason Kipnis at secod base. Danks stole second and scored when first baseman Jesus Aguilar allowed Adam Eaton's grounder to bounce off his glove and into short right field for an error.
Carlos Santana's leadoff homer in the fourth tied the game, and Cleveland loaded the bases with one out in the fifth. Quintana retired Santana on a foulout and struck out Yan Gomes.
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