With the divisional race heating up, the Indians were able to take care of business against the team they had struggled with for much of the season. Corey Kluber struck out 11 over eight innings in the Indians’ 8-4 win over the Twins on Wednesday at Progressive Field to maintain their 4 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central.
Both the Tigers and Royals inched closer in the divisional race after Cleveland went 2-5 on a recent road trip. But a three-game sweep over the Twins — a team it is 8-8 against — was enough to hold off its divisional foes. For Minnesota, the loss extends the losing skid to 13 games. It is the team’s longest since a franchise worst 14-game slump in 1982.
“We’re fighting,” Indians first baseman Carlos Santana said. “Every game is very important. We have Detroit and Kansas City behind [us], so every game is very important. Right now, game to game, it’s very important for the team to try to win.”
Kluber allowed three runs on six hits and two walks, notching his second double-digit strikeout game of the season. Max Kepler in the third and Brian Dozier in the eighth both homered off Kluber.
Minnesota lefty Pat Dean took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings in his second start since rejoining the rotation. Dean also surrendered a pair of home runs — solo shots to Santana in the fourth and Perez in Cleveland’s five-run fifth.
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