Indians Provide Clouds On Yankees “Sonny” Day

The Indians opened up a four game weekend series with the New York Yankees Thursday night, and snagged a five to one win.

The Tribe got off to a fast start off of the Yankees newly acquired right hander Sonny Gray, scoring two unearned runs in the first inning. Bradley Zimmer and Michael Brantley reached base on miscues, and Jose Ramirez came up and smacked a single into right field. Zimmer would score, and Brantley would as well when former Indians farm hand Clint Frazier, who was traded to New York in the Andrew Miller trade last year, airmailed a throw to third base.

Both Gray and Indians starter Corey Kluber would settle in after that. The next scoring play wouldn’t come until the bottom of the 6th when Yan Gomes hit a bullet off of the left field wall, scoring Carlos Santana and Brandon Guyer.

The Yankees would get on the board in the seventh thanks to Gary Sanchez. He blasted a Corey Kluber pitch into the seats for a 427 foot home run.

Fransisco Lindor would respond right away in the bottom of the inning off Yankee reliever Chasen Shreve. He found the Home Run Porch in left to get the lead back to four runs.

Corey Kluber was magnificent, and that may be putting it lightly. Not only did he go the distance, he became the fourth player in MLB history to strike out at least eight batters in 12 consecutive starts (Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan). He also moved into eighth place all time in strikeouts by an Indians player.

His final line was nine innings, 11 strikeouts, and one earned run on three hits.

Gray would finish his night with six inning, giving up four runs (two earned), while striking out six in a solid debut for his new team in a losing effort.

The two teams will play again tomorrow night in game two of the series. Trevor Bauer will get the start for the Tribe. He will take on the Yankees newly acquired left hander Jamie Garcia.