BOSTON — Corey Kluber acknowledges too much inconsistency this season, feeling there is plenty he can build on and improve on over the next few months.
Wednesday was a pretty good example of what Kluber can do when he is right, limiting the potent Red Sox to three hits over six shutout innings in the Rays’ 7-1 win.
Kluber, who turned 36 in April, already has had an accomplished career, winning two Cy Young Awards, and next week will reach the impressive milestone of 10 years of service time in the major leagues.
But he signed with the Rays because he wants to win a championship and knows his pitching well will help. He allowed only the three hits, didn’t walk any batters, struck out five and retired his last 11.
Wednesday’s win was the Rays’ fifth in their last six games, improving their record to 45-37 and putting them back into a tie for second place in the American League East with the Red Sox. The teams meet again four four games next week at Tropicana Field.
The Rays grabbed the lead in the first off debuting Sox prospect Brayan Bello and later added on.
Yandy Diaz, extending his career-high hitting streak to 11 games and reaching base four times, doubled with one out and scored when Wander Franco singled on the next pitch.
They got three in the third, all with two out, as Randy Arozarena delivered the big hit.
Diaz walked with one out, and Ji-Man Choi singled with two. Arozarena then lashed a ball to right-center, scoring Diaz and Choi, who made it all the way around from first. Arozarena went to third on the throw home and scored on a double by Kevin Kiermaier.
The Rays tacked on two more runs in the sixth, again with two outs.
Vidal Brujan drew a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on the second double of the night by Josh Lowe, who made the move to the leadoff spot look good. Reliever Hirokazu Sawamura walked Diaz and Franco to load the bases and then Choi to force in another run.
Arozarena closed out the scoring with a home run to right-centerfield in the ninth.
Kluber had lost three straight, his longest skid since 2016, and lasted only three innings Friday in Toronto, allowing five runs on seven hits.
