Kluber Debuts, Offense Shines as RubberDucks blast BaySox 10-0
Cleveland Indians Pitcher Corey Kluber makes his rehab start versus the Bowie BaySox
AKRON, Ohio — Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber served the first night of his rehab assignment for the Akron RubberDucks tonight as they defeated the Bowie BaySox 10-0. This marks the RubberDucks fifth consecutive win moves them to 22-21 and above .500 for the first time this season. The loss for the BaySox moves them down to .500 at 24-24.
It was a near sellout crowd at Canal Park to see the former Cy Young winner on the mound. Kluber threw 69 pitches in five innings while only allowing two base hits, the only hits the RubberDucks defense allowed the entire game.
Aside from Kluber taking the mound, the story of the night was the RubberDucks offense which exploded for ten runs in seven innings.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, left fielder Dorssys Paulino singled to center-field to bring in the RubberDucks first run of the night in the fourth. They reeled in two more runs in the following inning off a Francisco Mejia single and a Bobby Bradley double to extend their lead to 3-0.
Catcher Francisco Mejia was one of six RubberDucks to score in the 10-0 win over the BaySox.
The seventh inning proved to be the most prolific of the night for the RubberDucks on offense. First baseman Bobby Bradley led in his second runner of the night with a base single. Mejia then scored off a sacrificing fly ball. Three more runs were scored in the seventh inning via hit singles from first baseman Tyler Krieger and outfielder Jordan Smith, while second baseman Mark Mathias doubled to left-field to bring Smith home for the fifth score of the inning.
The win not only moves the RubberDucks above .500 for the first time this season but also ties them with the BaySox for second place in the Eastern League Division. The two teams will face each other three more times from Saturday through Monday before the RubberDucks travel to Pittsburgh for a series versus the first-place Altoona Curve on Tuesday.
Photos by Khalil Smith
