Cleveland's Cory Kluber Goes Distance in 2-0 Tribe Win; Jedd Gyorko Powers Padres to 12-1 Victory over Cardinals

Players of the Day for Wednesday, July 30, 2014

American League

Kluber: 3-hitter

Keeping hopes alive in Cleveland, the Indians got to within one game of .500 (53-54), as Cory Kluber out-dueled Seattle's Felix Hernandez in a 2-0 Tribe victory.

Kluber hurled his second complete game of the season and first shutout of his major league career, which officially began in 2012, when he was 2-5 as a starter for the Indians. Kluber was 11-5 in 2013.

Allowing just three hits, Kluber twirled a gem, fanning eight without issuing a walk. He needed only 85 pitches to go the distance for his 11th win against six losses. 69 of his pitches went for strikes and he was consistently ahead of batters, throwing first-pitch strikes to 22 of the 28 batters he faced. Cleveland turned two double plays behind him, as Kluber faced just one batter over the minimum.

Yan Gomes drove in the only runs of the game with a double in the fifth inning.

The Indians will look to take two of three from the visiting Mariners when the teams meet for the rubber game of the series at 7:05 pm EDT at Progressive Field.

National League

Jedd Gyorko

It's a typical season in San Diego, with the Padres languishing well off the pace in the division, currently 12 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and little hope for the remainder of the schedule.

However, the Padres are staring at an unusual circumstance after trashing the Cardinals, 12-1, in game two of their three-game series. Another win would give them a sweep of the perennially-contentious Cards.

After taking game one by a 3-1 score, Wednesday's contest became a farce, when the Padres plated eight runs in the seventh inning, aided by Jedd Gyorko's bases-loaded triple, which, after a solo homer in the third inning, gave him four RBI on the night. The second-year player out of the University of West Virginia added a single for three hits in five at bats with a pair of runs.

Gyorko, a regular at second base, knocked 23 homers as a rookie last season for the Padres, but has spent a good portion of this season in the minors. In 59 games with San Diego in 2014, he's batting just .181, with six homers and 29 RBI.

The Pardes will be seeking the sweep on Thursday afternoon. Game time is 12:40 PDT at Petco Park.