A’s, Gray blank Indians

Published 12:12 am Monday, July 13, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) — All-Star Sonny Gray pitched a two-hit shutout and allowed only three base runners, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 2-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

Gray, who lowered his AL-best ERA to 2.04, walked one and struck out six. Only three outs were recorded by outfielders in his third career shutout.

Gray (10-3) retired the first 10 hitters before Francisco Lindor’s one-out single in the fourth. The right-hander walked David Murphy to lead off the fifth and retired 11 in a row until Giovanny Urshela’s two-out single in the eighth.

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Vogt, Oakland’s other All-Star, hit a two-run homer to right in the fourth off Corey Kluber (4-10) after being robbed of a home run in the first by Murphy.

Kluber has already surpassed last season’s loss total when he went 18-9 and won the AL Cy Young Award. The Indians are averaging 2.30 runs when Kluber is on the mound.

Gray breezed through the first 3 1-3 innings. Lindor bounced a single up the middle, but Michael Brantley hit into a double play to end the fourth.

Gray, who won’t pitch in Tuesday’s game because he started Sunday, missed a turn in the rotation last month because of a bout of salmonella. He allowed three runs in seven innings against the Yankees on Tuesday. The right-hander hasn’t lost since June 9.

Vogt, the second batter of the game, drove a pitch to deep right but Murphy got back to the wall, timed his jump perfectly and made a leaping catch.

Vogt got even in the fourth inning by driving a 1-0 pitch several rows into the seats for his team-leading 14th homer of the season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: RHP Jesse Hahn (strained forearm) has been shut down for two weeks, but it’s unclear when he’ll be activated from the 15-day disabled list.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin, who had shoulder surgery in March, will make his second rehab start on Wednesday at Class A Mahoning Valley. Tomlin pitched 2 2-3 scoreless innings last Friday at Double-A Akron.

UP NEXT

Athletics: Gray will start the first game after the break Friday against Minnesota at home. He’ll throw a bullpen session while he’s in Cincinnati for the All-Star Game.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer, who is second in the AL in road ERA (1.82), will start the first game after the break in Cincinnati. He will throw a simulated game in Cleveland on Monday to stay in his routine.