Monday Recap: Kluber performs admirably but gets nothing in return

Game 82: Dodgers 1, Indians 0

Box Score

Indians fall to 39-43

Let's talk about Corey Kluber. It'll be easier.

Our beloved Klubot turned in another solid performance on the hill. At this point, there is no doubt who the ace of the staff is and who you want on the hill when you need a win. Corey went 6 2/3 innings with a line of 6H 1ER 1BB 5K. The strikeouts weren't as plentiful as they typically are, yet Kluber was in control for the majority of the game. Even when he was in trouble he appeared to be in control.

His only trouble came in the 7th. With the game still scoreless, Andre Ethier led off the game with a triple off the outreached glove of Michael Brantley. It was a well struck ball and likely one that Brantley will tell you should have been caught, but it wasn't exactly routine, either. No matter what it was, it wasn't an out, as it glanced off the leather leaving the go-ahead run on 3rd with nobody out.

Kluber, channeling his inner Wedge, bowed his neck and got Juan Uribe to groundout on a nice play by Asdrubal Cabrera and then struck out A.J. Ellis. He got ahead of Clint Robinson 0-2 and it looked like he might escape. But the rookie worked the count full and managed a groundball up the middle to plate Ethier and collect his first MLB hit. Yes, you read that correctly. Kluber did his job, the ball just went where nobody was. Kyle Crockett mopped up the inning and Cody Allen pitched a clean 8th.

And that's all it took because the Indians offense might as well not even exist right now. For the second night in a row they were one hit. Only two balls made it past the infielders, their only hit was of the infield variety and even that had to be challenged to become a hit.

David Murphy hasn't had a hit since George W. Bush was President and Asdrubal Cabrera's blindfold is getting plenty of use with runners in scoring position. Jason Kipnis struck out three times all by himself. He disagreed with Angel Hernandez each time, presumably because Hernandez kept asking when the hitters were going to show up to the game. Kipnis, being a gritty team-first guy, kept trying to convince Mr. Hernandez that they were those hitters. Mr. Hernandez disagreed. Heck, one of the best struck balls of the night was by the pitcher. Actually, the best AB of the night was probably Kluber's sacrifice bunt. There isn't anything else to say about it. At least Corey Kluber did his job. Never leave us, Klubot. Never leave.

Win Expectancy Chart

Source: FanGraphs

Roll Call

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