Kluber tosses Yankees' 12th no-hitter, tops Rangers 2-0

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Corey Kluber threw the the major leagues’ sixth no-hitter this season and second in two nights, leading the New York Yankees over the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday night. The 35-year-old right-hander, a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, came within a four-pitch walk to Charlie Culberson in the third inning of throwing a perfect game. Kluber pitched his gem a night after Detroit’s Spencer Turnbull threw one against Seattle, marking the first no-hitters on consecutive days since 1969. Kluber (4-2) struck out nine and and threw 71 of 101 pitches for strikes in his ninth start for the Yankees. Kluber was pitching on the mound when he was hurt after one inning last season for the Rangers, when he tore a muscle in his right shoulder on July 26 in his Texas debut. It was the 12th no-hitter in Yankees history, the 11th in the regular season and the first since David Cone’s perfect game against Montreal on July 18, 1999. It was the fifth against the Rangers, who were also at home April 9 when San Diego native Joe Musgrove threw the first no-hitter in Padres history. New York got its only runs in the sixth inning on Tyler Wade’s RBI triple and DJ LeMahieu’s sacrifice fly against Hyeon-Jong Yang (0-1). PADRES 3, ROCKIES 0 SAN DIEGO (AP) – Fernando Tatis Jr. homered and went 4 for 4 in his first game back after testing positive for COVID-19, and San Diego beat Colorado for a three-game sweep. Tatis, who had been out since May 11, finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in helping the Padres win their sixth straight game and for the ninth time in 10 games. Jake Cronenworth had an inside-the-park home run and Joe Musgrove (4-4) struck out 11 in seven innings. Mark Melancon finished the two-hitter with a perfect ninth for his major league-leading 15th save. Chi Chi Gonzalez (2-2) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. INDIANS 3, ANGELS 2 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Josh Naylor drove in the tiebreaking run off Tony Watson (2-2) in the sixth, Aaron Civale pitched seven strong innings and Cleveland overcame Shohei Ohtani’s latest do-everything performance for a victory over Los Angeles. Jake Bauers homered and Franmil Reyes had an RBI double as Cleveland took the final two games of the series in Anaheim after a four-game skid. Civale (6-1) yielded four hits and a walk while striking out eight. James Karinchak pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Ohtani pitched five-hit ball into the fifth with five strikeouts for the Angels, and he subsequently moved from the mound to right field for 1 1/3 more innings, allowing him to get a third at-bat. The majors’ home run leader went 1 for 3 at the plate with a bunt single. Ohtani pitched while he was also the majors’ leader in homers for the third time this year, becoming the first player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to accomplish that feat multiple times in a season. Jared Walsh homered for the Angels, who have lost six of eight. Los Angeles is 0-2 since losing Mike Trout for at least six weeks with a strained calf. CARDINALS 8, PIRATES 5 ST. LOUIS (AP) – Jack Flaherty earned his major league-leading eight win of the season and St. Louis scored five runs in the second inning to beat Pittsburgh. Flaherty (8-0) allowed two runs and four hits with four walks while striking out seven in six innings. He’s the first Cardinals pitcher to win eight straight starts since John Tudor and Joaquín Andújar each accomplished the feat in 1985. Kodi Whitley relived Flaherty in the seventh and allowed three runs on a walk and two hits without recording an out. Tyler Webb, Génesis Cabrera and Ryan Helsley bridged the gap to Alex Reyes who struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 13th save in as many opportunities.