Kluber strikes out season-high 14, Indians top Blue Jays 8-1
CLEVELAND — Corey Kluber’s stiff neck cleared up a day too soon for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Cleveland’s ace struck out a season-high 14 in 7 2/3 innings and showed no signs of the neck problem that pushed back him back in the rotation with another dominating performance in the Indians’ 8-1 victory Sunday.
“It wasn’t anything that was really concerning,” said Kluber, whose regular turn in the rotation was scheduled for Friday. “Just needed a couple of extra days to get to the spot I wanted to be. I didn’t think about it at all.”
Kluber (8-3) allowed five hits, including Kevin Pillar’s leadoff homer in the third, and reached double figures in strikeouts for the ninth time in 16 starts. He fell four strikeouts short of matching his career-high 18 against St. Louis in 2015.