Cory Kluber Wins 15th As Indians Win 15th Straight; Colorado Defeats Dodgers As Nolan Arenado Homers

Players of the Day for Thursday, September 7, 2017

American League

Kluber: 15-4, 2.56 ERA

Cleveland extended the longest winning streak in the majors to 15 straight with a 11-2 romp over the White Sox, sweeping the four-game series in the Windy City.

The Indians scored seven runs in the opening three innings, with Francisco Lindor, Erik Gonzalez, and Edwin Encarnation each homering off Chicago starter, Mike Pelfrey (3-11, 5.51).

Those early runs were all to the great benefit to Cleveland's Cory Kluber, who cruised through seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits, both coming off first inning solo home runs by the White Sox.

After that rocky start, Kluber settled in, putting away 12 straight White Sox hitters before surrendering a one out single in the fifth inning to Jomar Narvaez. Kluber finished with 13 strikeouts, walking one for his 15th win against just four losses.

The Indians set a franchise record for consecutive wins and will try to add to it when they open a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday in Cleveland.

National League

Arenado's 116 RBI leads NL

Not even Clayton Kershaw can stop the spiraling losing streak of the LA Dodgers, now at seven straight after a 9-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a four-game series in Los Angeles. The Dodgers have dropped 12 of their last 13 and seen their once-massive lead in the division drop to 10 games over surging Arizona, winners of 13 straight.

Kershaw (16-3) allowed four runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, his shortest start of the season, other than the two innings July 23 against the Braves where he suffered an injury that put him on the shelf for 40 days.

Nolan Arenado delivered the telling blow off Kershaw in the opening frame, launching a three-run homer into the left field stands (413 feet), putting the Rockies on the board early and ramping up Kershaw's pitch count. When it reached 78 in the fourth inning, he got the hook and was gone. The Rockies piled up a total of 16 hits in the game.

In the seventh, Arenado walked with the bases loaded, his fourth RBI of the day, increasing his season total to 116, which leads the majors. Arenado's homer was his 31st. The four RBI broke a ties with Miami's Giancarlo Stanton for the NL RBI lead.

Colorado's win increased their hold on the second wild card to three games over idle Milwaukee. The series resumes Friday in LA, at 7:10 pm PT.