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Tribe needs relief after bullpen collapse in KC
- Updated: July 19, 2016
KANSAS CITY — Indians starter Corey Kluber looked to the third-base dugout and pointed to his right calf. Following seven strong innings, the heat and heavy humidity at Kauffman Stadium finally took a toll. Kluber tried to fight through it, but he knew he had to exit after firing a warmup pitch to the backstop.
Kluber cramped, and then the bullpen crumbled in a stunning 7-3 loss to the Royals on Monday night.
“It was pathetic, really,” reliever Jeff Manship said. “Plain and simple.”
With fewer than two weeks remaining until the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Indians’ biggest need is help for their bullpen. That has been a clear area of need throughout this season, but it was never more evident than in this loss. Kluber walked off the mound with a 2-0 lead and then watched setup man Bryan Shaw and Manship cough up seven runs in the eighth.
It was a swift downward spiral that began with a chopper back to the mound and ended with a grand slam.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating,” Kluber said.
Starting pitching is what has paved the Indians’ way to the top of the American League Central, and Kluber continued that trend on a hot Monday night. In his first outing since the All-Star break, which included picking up the win for the AL, Kluber went seven shutout innings, striking out eight. As he has done so often, Kluber left with the Indians in a position to win.
The …
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