Clevinger throws 1-hitter vs. Blue Jays

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Toronto was no match for Mike Clevinger, who was stopped Sunday only by upper back tightness that forced him from the game after five scoreless innings.

Clevinger struck out 10 and allowed one hit to lead the Cleveland Indians over the struggling Blue Jays 3-1 for a four-game sweep.

Clevinger felt the back tighten up on his second pitch of the fifth. He breezed through the inning with two strikeouts and a groundout, then mentioned the issue after reaching the dugout.

He tried to persuade pitching coach Carl Willis and the team’s medical staff to leave him in the game.

“They made the right call,” Clevinger said. “It’s not worth it right now, this early. It’s just being safe.”

Clevinger (1-0) has pitched 12 scoreless innings over his first two starts, striking out 22.

He retired his first nine hitters, walked Socrates Brito leading off the fourth, then gave up a double to Freddy Galvis. Clevinger fanned Randal Grichuk, Rowdy Tellez and Teoscar Hernandez in order, all swinging. He threw 75 pitches in all.

“Everything was working,” Clevinger said. “That’s why it was so hard for me to accept it. I was rolling.”

Clevinger plans to take his next turn, which should be at Kansas City next weekend.

Indians pitchers struck out 16, raising their three-game total to 57.

“That’s a momentum killer for the other teams, especially when you’re seeing your guys go up just to walk right back to the dugout over and over again for a series, that has to wear on you mentally at some point,” Clevinger said.

“It’s good to have the staff to be loaded like this.”