CLEVELAND - You win with pitching, and the Indians on Thursday pitched well twice and won twice.
T.J. House worked seven scoreless innings and Carlos Santana hit his second home run of the day and drove in both of Cleveland’s runs as the Indians completed a doubleheader sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 2-0 victory at Progressive Field.
The left-handed House gave up four hits, had eight strikeouts and did not issue a walk. He struck out the side in the seventh inning, his last. Cody Allen pitched the ninth inning to pick up his 20th save.
In the first game, Santana and catcher Yan Gomes homered and right-hander Corey Kluber pitched 8 1/3 strong innings as the Indians won 8-2.
Kluber (15-9) gave up two runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts and did not issue a walk. Santana belted a two-run homer in the first inning, and Gomes hit a solo homer in the second and added a two-run double in the third.
ADVERTISEMENT
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (11-11) started for the Twins but lasted only three innings, giving up seven runs.
There wasn’t much hitting by either side in the second game, with House (3-3) out-pitching right-hander Ricky Nolasco (5-11). House and two relievers combined on a four-hitter.
Kluber and House, the Indians’ two starters in the doubleheader, combined to pitch 15 1/3 innings with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
Nolasco, who is 0-5 with a 6.05 ERA in his last seven starts, pitched seven innings, giving up one run and six hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
“My curve was good today and I did a good job filling up the zone. I thought I did pretty good,” Nolasco said. “That’s the way this game goes. It’s hard sometimes. Their guy threw the ball well.”
