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Corey Kluber strikes out 18, loses no-hit bid in 7th (Video)

By Will Osgood

May 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) pitches during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) pitches during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Corey Kluber has had a frustrating season to date, so he took it out on the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night, yielding just one hit and striking out 18. 

The last pitcher to strike out 18 hitters in the American League was Roger Clemens for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998. In 1998, Kerry Wood also struck out over 18 batters, but only gave up one run.

Corey Kluber struck out that many Wednesday night at home against the St. Louis Cardinals. Through 6.2 innings he had not yielded a hit from the Cardinals hitters. Then Jhonny Peralta did the most annoying thing possible by breaking up Kluber’s no-hitter in the seventh inning on a sharp ground ball up the middle just past the glove of the diving Cleveland Indians shortstop.

But Kluber and the Indians will remember this game not because he came up just one hit. It’ll be remembered because he struck out an amazing 18 Cardinals hitters. He struck out seven of the nine Cardinal starters multiple times. And he seemed to get stronger as the evening went on, which made Terry Francona’s hook before the ninth inning at least a bit surprising.

But he finished strong. And that is probably all anyone could ask for from Kluber.

His 18 Ks place him No. 1 on the Indians’ franchise single-game record books.

And yet the reigning AL Cy Young winner secured his first win of the season on Wednesday night. Thanks to 18 strikeouts, and nearly unhittable stuff.

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