Just For Starters: Breaking Down Corey Kluber's Start Against Cardinals

Corey Kluber put together another good start for the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, keeping St. Louis hitters in check until running into trouble in the sixth inning. Here's our "Just For Starters'' story breaking down his night, with cumulative stats for the entire rotation all season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Corey Kluber put in another night of good work against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night, but got roughed up a bit in the sixth inning and was knocked out of the game. The Tampa Bay starting pitcher, who had allowed only one run in the first five innings, was charged with two more in the sixth.

Thankfully, he also got some help from Rays hitters for a change. Tampa Bay scored three runs in the first inning and added solo runs in the second and third. Kluber left with a 5-3 lead.  

It was the third straight decent start for the 26-year-old right-hander. Rays pitching has been great during this series with the Cardinals. Jeffrey Springs, who was Tuesday night's starter, pitched six scoreless innings.

Here are Kluber's numbers from his start on Wednesday night, and the cumulative totals for the entire rotation.

Rays' Starters By The Numbers

• Starter: Corey Kluber
• Game: Wednesday (June 8) vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• Decision: Won, and is now 3-2 on the season.
• Team result: Won 11-3 and is now 33-23 on the season.
• Innings pitched: 5.0-plus
• Total pitches: 80
• Strikes: 58
• Runs allowed: 3
• Earned runs: 3
• Hits allowed: 6
• Walks allowed: 1
• Total strikeouts: 5
• Status upon departure: Corey Kluber got the first 10 outs without incident until allowing a home run to right by Tyler O'Neill with one out in the fourth. He was fine until the sixth, when he had a walk and three straight singles to open the inning. That's when Rays manager Kevin Cash took him out with a 5-3 lead and none out. Jason Adam came on in relief and got a double-play grounder on his third pitch and then a fly ball to the warning track to end the innings
  
• The skinny: Kluber was really good through five innings for the Rays. His pitch count was low and he came out for the sixth, but he wasn't good, allowing four straight base runners. He was fortunate that Adam got out of the inning with no further damage.

Season Totals for Rays Starters

• Starters: Shane McClanahan (11), Drew Rasmussen (11), Corey Kluber
  (11), Jeffrey Springs (6), Ryan Yarbrough (6), Josh Fleming (2), Luis Patino, Tommy Romero,
• Games: 49 (7 openers, not included in numbers)
• Team record: 33-23 through Wednesday
• Decisions: 17-14 through Wednesday
• - Most wins: Shane McClanahan (6)
• Innings pitched (avg.): 238.1/4.86
• - Season high innings: 7.0, Shane McClanahan (April 24, May 11, May 17); Drew Rasmussen (June 4)
• - Season low innings: 2/3, Luis Patino (April 11)
• Total pitches (avg.): 3,791/77.36
• - Season high pitches: 100, Shane McClanahan (May 11)
• - Season low pitches: 13, Luis Patino (April 11)
• Total strikeouts (avg.): 238/4.86
• - Season high strikeouts: 11, Shane McClanahan (April 30, May 11)
• Runs allowed (avg.): 98/2.00
• Earned runs (avg.): 93/1.90
• Hits allowed (avg.): 210/4.28
• - Season most hits allowed: 11, Corey Kluber (April 22, May 10)
• Walks allowed (avg.): 59/1.23
• Starter ERA: 3.51

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