Friend-of-HBT and frequent commenter Jason Lukehart created a statistic a couple of years ago called “The Maddux.” One achieves a Maddux when one tosses a complete game shutout while using fewer than 100 pitches to do it. Quirky? Sure. I mean, you’re not likely to have a 10K game or something doing that. But it’s very cool.
Corey Kluber has been very cool this year. And yesterday he paid tribute to recent Hall of Fame inductee Greg Maddux by spinning a Maddux himself. Three hits, eight strikeouts and no walks while blanking the Mariners on 85 pitches. Yes, 85 pitches. That he did that and still managed to strike out those eight is pretty darn impressive.
All the more impressive given that, with Felix Hernandez on the other side, Kluber had to be dominant. Indeed, Hernandez himself only gave up two runs, both coming on a fifth inning double. It was a true battle of aces. It was also over in 2:10, which is almost unheard of these days.
Justin Masterson may be gone, but Indians fans still have an ace to cheer for. One that’s even better than the last one.
