CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber began the season as one of the question marks in Clevelands rotation. Robert Horry Rockets Jersey . The right-hander ends May as one of the top pitchers in the American League. Kluber struck out 12 in 7 1-3 innings to continue his dominant pitching in May and the Indians beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Friday night. "Its fun to write his name in the lineup every five days," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He continues to get better and better. Hes got power, movement and command. Hes pretty good." Kluber (6-3) has been a lot better than pretty good. Other than giving up a two-run homer in the fourth inning to Carlos Gonzalez, he was in complete control of the highest-scoring offence in the NL. He recorded his third double-figure strikeout game this season and ends the month with a 4-0 record and a 2.09 ERA in six starts. Kluber, who struck out a career-high 13 on May 4 against the Chicago White Sox, finished the month with 60 strikeouts in 43 innings. The right-hander allowed five hits with one walk and was given a standing ovation by the crowd of 25,066 when he was pulled after retiring the first batter in the eighth. "To do it against that lineup tonight -- thats a very difficult lineup to strike out," Francona said. "Thats as much, or more impressive as anything, to do it against that team." Kluber, who rarely shows any emotion when hes on the mound, downplayed his accomplishments and says he wasnt aware that he leads the AL with 95 strikeouts. "I had no idea, honestly," he said. "I keep saying when you guys ask me that strikeouts are a by-product of making good pitches. Im not going out there trying to strike guys out." Kluber was given several ovations as his strikeout totals rose, but he remained focused on the task at hand. "Im kind of locked in when Im out there," he said. "I dont really notice." Asdrubal Cabreras two-run homer broke a fifth-inning tie. The Indians snapped a four-game losing streak while the Rockies fell to 2-5 on their nine-game trip. Colorado didnt have a hit through three innings, but Corey Dickerson led off the fourth with a double and Gonzalez homered to right-centre on an 0-1 pitch with one out. "It was a changeup, belt high down the middle, it wasnt a good pitch," Kluber said. Rockies manager Walt Weiss, who was ejected in the sixth inning, was impressed. "That nasty breaking ball, and we knew he did coming in, but he commanded it and it was a good one," Weiss said. "It was hard and late and hes on a good run. And he threw well again tonight." Cleveland chased Juan Nicasio (5-3) with a four-run fifth. Michael Bourns single tied the game before Cabreras homer put Cleveland ahead. Lonnie Chisenhall, who drove in two runs, added an RBI double. Kluber struck out the side in the third. He took control after Gonzalezs homer in the fourth. Seven of the next nine outs were strikeouts and he got Charlie Culberson to bounce into a double play to end the seventh. Cody Allen pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Gonzalez returned to the lineup after not starting Wednesday because of a sore right calf. He fouled a pitch off his leg Tuesday and left the game, and was limited to pinch-hitting duties Wednesday. His home run snapped an 0-for-11 slump, but Colorado has 16 runs in the first seven games of the trip and is 5 for 51 with runners in scoring position. The Rockies frustration boiled over in the sixth when Michael Cuddyer was called out on strikes by plate umpire John Tumpane. Cuddyer angrily argued the call before being pulled away. Weiss continued the argument and was ejected for the first time in his managerial career. Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fifth-inning double and has hit in 19 consecutive home games, a Progressive Field record. Jason Kipnis second-inning single snapped an 0-for-15 slump. He returned Wednesday after missing 25 games with a strained right oblique. NOTES: Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (broken finger) visited doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, who confirmed the diagnosis of Colorado team doctors that he wont need surgery. The plan is to let the finger heal on its own and theres no timetable for his return. ... Indians 3B/C Carlos Santana (concussion) said hes feeling better, but doesnt know when hell resume physical activities. He was placed on the 7-day DL Tuesday. ... Cleveland RHP Zach McAllister (sore back) threw a simulated game Friday and is scheduled to throw on the side Sunday. ... Rockies LHP Franklin Morales faces RHP Trevor Bauer on Saturday. Ben McLemore Rockets Jersey . Mike Babcock has turned to the Montreal Canadiens goalie over Roberto Luongo, who backed Canada to a gold medal in Vancouver in 2010, for Canadas final preliminary round game against the ailing Finns. Steve Francis Rockets Jersey . Listen to the Raptors vs. Jazz live tonight on TSN Radio 1050 at 9pm et/6pm pt. The Raptors are 1-1 so far on the five-game junket after defeating Denver and losing to Portland. https://www.rocketsrookiesshop.com/Isaiah-Hartenstein-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Giants manager Bruce Bochy told The Associated Press of the decision before NL West-leading San Francisco opened a 10-game homestand Monday night with the first of three games against second-place Arizona.TORONTO - There shouldnt have been any lingering doubt. If there was, Jose Bautista put it to rest on Monday night. He should be considered among the Blue Jays all-time greats and, one day, his name will be unveiled along the fourth deck façade as part of the Level of Excellence. Bautistas three-run home run in the fifth inning of an 8-0 win over the Cubs was his 200th as a Blue Jay, putting him into elite company. He joins Carlos Delgado (336), Vernon Wells (223), Joe Carter (203) and George Bell (202) as one of five Blue Jays in the franchises 200-home run club. "Its obviously a great personal accolade," said Bautista. "I wasnt aware of it but somebody told me and came up to me today. Im very proud and honoured to have done it here, just really happy but I think Im going to enjoy this one, again like I always say with personal goals, more in the offseason. We have a bigger goal that were focusing on right now and thats trying to make the playoffs." Mondays home run was Bautistas 32nd of the season and his eighth in the last 12 games. Bautista hit his 200th Blue Jays home run in his 791st game with the club, 55 quicker than the next fastest, Delgado. STROMANS SINKER Marcus Stroman notched his first career major league shutout in Monday nights 8-0 win over the Cubs. He needed only 93 pitches and he recorded a career-high 14 groundball outs, including one double play. Stroman faced two batters over the minimum. His sinker, developed since he arrived in the major leagues, gets the credit. "It allows me to go deep into games," said Stroman. "I used to be a high-pitch guy. Five innings, six innings, a ton of pitches and high punch outs and now I feel like Im really learning how to pitch. Using that pitch Im able to go deeper, keep the ball on the ground. Im able to get double plays when I need them and I feel like Im just really starting to learn how to pitch." Stroman was lying in bed, a baseball in hand, when he came across the grip. It felt comfortable and so he took it into a bullpen session. It wasnt long before he was using his sinker in game action. He points to his July 19 start versus Texas, a 4-1 Blue Jays win in which he went seven shutout innings, as the turning point. "That just shows you what hes all about," said manager John Gibbons before the game. "Hes got some aptitude. Hes an athlete. Hes got a feel of what hes doing … Thats what the good ones are able to do. The guys that struggle, sometimes it takes them a little bit longer to figure things out." CHATTING WITH RIZZO The Chicago Cubs are a team in transition. When Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer were hired during the offseason of 2011-2012, they set out to strip the franchise bare and rebuild it. The plan is taking shape. The next step: execution. Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro have been joined by top prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler and Arismendy Alcantara. Kris Bryant and Addison Russell, the latter acquired from Oakland in the Jeff Samardzija trade, did not receive September call ups but arent far behind. The Cubs have one of the best crop of prospects if not in history, than certainly in recent memory. TSN.ca sat down with Rizzo, the injured Cubss first baseman. Clyde Drexler Jersey. Hes hit career highs with 30 home runs and an OPS of .889 in 2014. Still only 24 years old, hes signed long-term and figures to be at the core of the expected turnaround. Heres the conversation: TSN.ca: Is there a sense of excitement about how close you guys may be to turning that corner? RIZZO: Yeah, absolutely. Obviously we dont want to say we think weve turned it but its just about guys developing here, going through their highs and lows and going into the offseason feeling really good about themselves and what they have to work on and going into spring training really with the attitude of winning our division and taking care of business. TSN.ca: What are your initial impressions, I dont want to call you one of the veterans, of some of the younger players? A kid like Soler? And Baez? RIZZO: Theyve been great. The most you from them is to come in and work and thats what they do. They dont really come in and mess around. They come in, do their work and take care of their business. Thats the best thing you can do as a young player and Im still young, I do that, but the best thing you can do is take care of your business and play hard. Thats how you earn the respect of your teammates and theyve done exactly that. All the guys that have come up have done that. TSN.ca: On a lot of teams youd be a younger player but you have some tenure here. Is your role on this team different than it would be in a lot of other cities just because it is such a young group? Are you more of a leader already than maybe you would have anticipated? RIZZO: I dont know. This is where I am. On other teams I dont know how its been. I just know here we have a good bunch of guys here, a good group. I just go out and play. Play hard and try to produce as best I can and prepare to be the best I can that day and whether I do well or dont do well I try to come in and be the same guy in the clubhouse and set the example, set the bar high for everyone else. TSN.ca: Shortly after the Samardzija trade, you told me in July you could see the plan falling into place. Thats still the case? RIZZO: Its been really nice in having Javy (Baez) come up and Soler come up. Mendy (Alcantara), (Kyle) Hendricks and all the guys. You hear about people talk about so much this, this, this and now that its here its about them getting their feet wet with the expectation of next year doing some damage in this league. TSN.ca: Is your pitching underrated. Everybody says youve got a bunch of positional talent, wheres the pitching? If you look at your team ERA I think over the last four or five weeks, especially, its been really strong. RIZZO: Yeah, our bullpen has really come along, in my opinion. Theres no guy in our bullpen that comes and were kind of worried about giving up a lead. Thats always comforting, knowing a starter can go six or seven and then get it to the bullpen and have them shut it down. As long as we score runs, it doesnt matter whos pitching, we score a couple of runs early for them and let the pitcher get into a little groove, itll take care of itself. TSN.ca: Your first time in Toronto, your first time in Canada. You going to climb the Tower? RIZZO: Well, Im not going to be playing so Im probably definitely explore and probably go up the Tower. ' ' '