Indians top Reds in blowout

Kluber, Ramirez remain consistent amid injury-filled week for Tribe

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

On a day when the Cleveland Indians lost key starter Trevor Bauer to an injury, ace Corey Kluber gave them a huge lift.

Kluber extended his dominance of the Cincinnati Reds with seven strong innings and Jose Ramirez hit his 36th home run as the Cleveland Indians rolled to an 8-1 win on Tuesday night.

Kluber (15-6) allowed one run and five hits and struck out seven in seven innings.

“I thought he was really good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “There was some early contact and stayed off the barrel. I thought his cutter was really good when he needed to get back into a count or even for a strikeout.”

The Indians won the first two games of the series by a combined 18-4 despite a rough week with outfielder Leonys Martin hospitalized with a serious bacterial infection and Bauer placed on the DL with a fractured right leg on Tuesday.

“We’ve had our fair share of injuries,” Kluber said. “Trevor’s been a huge part of this team. But we can’t get wrapped up in losing someone important like that.”

Cleveland sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning scoring four runs on four hits, including a two-run single by Yonder Alonso.

In the second inning, Ramirez doubled and scored on Alonso’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Melky Cabrera made it 6-0.

Romano (7-10) left after allowing six runs and seven hits in 12/3 innings, the shortest start of his career.

Ramirez’s solo homer on a 3-2 pitch from Lorenzen in the sixth made it 8-0.

Kluber retired the Reds in order three times. He struck out three straight batters in the sixth after allowing Billy Hamilton’s leadoff single.

The only run Kluber allowed was when Tucker Barnhart tripled for the second time this season and scored on Preston Tucker’s single in the seventh.

CHASING J.D.?

Ramirez has homered in three straight appearances for the fourth time in his career and third time this season. His 36 home runs rank second in the major leagues behind Boston’s J.D. Martinez, who has 37.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: Trevor Bauer went on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday with a small stress fracture in his right fibula. Bauer was struck by a line drive on his right ankle on Saturday and a MRI revealed the fracture.

UP NEXT

Indians: Rookie right-hander Shane Bieber (6-2) will make his 12th start of the season.

Reds: Robert Stephenson (0-1) will make his second start since being recalled from Triple-A.