CLEVELAND — Unflappable and unassuming, Corey Kluber upstaged Sonny Gray’s debut for New York by pitching a three-hitter and leading the Indians to a 5-1 win over the sloppy Yankees on Thursday night.
Kluber (9-3) struck out 11 and outpitched Gray (6-6), let down by a New York defense that made three errors in the first inning. The defending AL champions won the opener of a four-game series with a potential playoff opponent and ended their losing streak at three.
For five innings, Gray was nearly as good as Kluber, but New York kicked around the ball in the first behind the right-hander, who was acquired at Monday’s trade deadline from the A’s to help the Yankees return to the postseason.