Cleveland Indians shortstop Jose Ramirez hit his first Major-League home run, and Michael Brantley hit his 17th of the season as the Cleveland Indians defeated the New York Yankees 3-0 Saturday afternoon.
Ramirez's home run (video) came in the top of the second inning off Yankees' starter Brandon McCarthy (L: 7-11, 4.31 ERA), scoring Ryan Chisenhall ahead of him. Brantley took Chase Whitley deep in the top of the seventh to extend Cleveland's lead to 3-0.
Cleveland's Corey Kluber (W: 13-6, 2.46 ERA) pitched six scoreless innings to earn the victory. He allowed only four hits while striking out ten and walking one. Cody Allen pitched a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts to pick up his 15th save of the season.
McCarthy lost his first start since joining the Yankees on July 5, but he pitched very well. He allowed two runs, both earned, on seven hits. He also walked no one and struck out eight.
The Yankees' biggest threat came in the eighth when they had two on and one out. Bryan Shaw, though, struck out Carlos Beltran and Chase Headley to end the threat. He also struck out Derek Jeter earlier in the inning.
Jeter, though, had his shining moment. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jeter reached on an infield single to pass Honus Wagner for sixth-place on the all-time hit list with 3,431. Jeter dribbled a ground ball that Chisenhall could not secure in his bare hand, allowing the Yankee captain to reach safely.
The two teams will play the rubber match on Sunday when Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco (3-4, 3.88 ERA) takes on New York's Hiroli Kuroda (7-7, 3.97 ERA).