PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Corey Kluber inspired his teammates with a tough at-bat his first time up to the plate in the majors.

Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer, Nick Swisher and Mike Aviles also went deep to back Kluber, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Philadelphia Phillies 10-4 Wednesday.

Kluber (3-2) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. But it was his first career AB against Cole Hamels in the second inning that set the tone. Kluber fouled off consecutive 1-2 pitches and worked the count full before flying out to deep left.

“I guess that’s beginner’s luck,” he said.

Maybe so, but it made the hitters adjust their approach.

“Corey woke us up, having the best at-bat in the first couple innings,” Kipnis said. “We did a nice job not chasing his pitches. That’s an approach we try to take against everyone. We want to see some pitches, get quality at-bats.”

Hamels needed 91 pitches to get through four innings and reached 100 in the fifth.

“We drove his pitch count up early,” manager Terry Francona said. “We made him earn his outs and we scored early. It’s great to work the count and have something to show for it.”

A day after rookie Jonathan Pettibone held the Indians in check, Hamels got roughed up by one of the league’s highest-scoring offenses. Cleveland had been in a slight funk, scoring just seven runs in its previous four games.

Hamels (1-6) allowed five runs and six hits in five innings. The three-time All-Star and 2008 World Series MVP has a 4.61 ERA, and the Phillies are 1-8 in his starts. Hamels had six straight quality starts before this one, with a 2.41 ERA in that span.

“You have to go out there and execute pitches,” Hamels said. “I wasn’t able to do that early on. I think any time you go 3-2 to pretty much the whole lineup over and over, you’re not putting yourself into a good spot. I was pitching myself into situations where most likely they’re going to get the hits, they’re going to get the walks, they’re going to score the runs.”

Jimmy Rollins drove in three runs for Philadelphia, which ended a three-game winning streak.

The surprising Indians have won 12 of 16 and are 22-17 under Francona, in his first year with Cleveland after winning two World Series title in Boston in 2004 and 2007.

Now the Indians get a day off after playing 14 games in 13 days. They’ll play 20 straight, starting Friday against Seattle.

“These guys need it,” Francona said. “They deserve it. They need a day away from the ballpark.”

Kluber rebounded nicely after allowing eight runs in 4 2-3 innings against Detroit in his previous start.

“I threw more strikes, was more aggressive in the strike zone and didn’t fall behind guys,” he said.

Mark Reynolds hit a two-run double with two outs in the third to give the Indians the lead. Kipnis doubled and Asdrubal Cabrera walked before Reynolds hit a drive to left to knock them in.

John Mayberry Jr. singled in the third, advanced on a sacrifice and scored when Rollins lined a two-out single to cut it to 2-1.

Rollins delivered another clutch two-out hit in the fifth. After singles by Carlos Ruiz and Mayberry, he ripped a two-run double to right to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Aviles lined a homer to left in the fourth for a 3-1 lead.

Swisher connected in the fifth, driving a 2-0 pitch a few feet inside the left-field foul pole to make it 5-1.

Cabrera hit a two-run single with two outs in the sixth off Jeremy Horst to extend Cleveland’s lead to 7-3.

Kipnis took Raul Valdes out to right in the eighth.

The Phillies are 12-4 when Pettibone, Kyle Kendrick or John Lannan start. They’re 7-17 in games started by the $64.5 million trio of Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.

NOTES: The Phillies signed 3-time All-Star Carlos Zambrano to a minor-league deal. The right-hander will report to extended spring training this week. … The Indians won three of the four interleague meetings this season against the Phillies, outscoring them 32-12. … Halladay was scheduled for shoulder surgery in California. He hopes to return to Philadelphia’s rotation this year. … Two of Swisher’s six homers are off lefties. … The Phillies have their second off day this week today. … The Indians open a 4-game series against Seattle on Friday.

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobMaaddi

MIAMI (AP) — Shin-Soo Choo hit two homers and four pitchers combined on an 11-hit shutout Wednesday night to help the Cincinnati Reds extend their winning streak to a season-best five games by beating Miami 4-0.

Choo hit solo homers in the fourth and sixth inning, giving him nine this season. The multihomer game was his second in eight days and ninth of his career.

Mike Leake (3-2) went 6 2-3 innings and pitched around nine hits. The Marlins had 14 baserunners but stranded 12 and hit into two double plays.

That gave the crowd of 14,866 little to cheer about, and the biggest roars came when highlights of the Miami Heat’s playoff victory over the Chicago Bulls two miles away were shown on the video scoreboard.

The Marlins were shut out for the seventh time, most in the majors. Cincinnati climbed a season-high eight games above .500 and improved to 5-1 against Miami, which has lost four in a row.

The Marlins fell to 0-10 this year with the retractable roof open in their stadium. The ball carries better in those conditions, and Choo twice sent it flying off Alex Sanabia (2-6).

Choo homered into the nightclub beyond the left-field fence, then pulled a homer into the Marlins’ bullpen in right field. He also led off the game with a single and scored on a double by NL RBI leader Brandon Phillips.

Choo’s four hits tied a career high, and he raised his average to .322. Joey Votto added two hits and an RBI for the Reds, who improved to 20-6 when they score first.

They led 4-0 in the seventh when Miami mounted a threat. With runners at second and third, Sean Marshall came on and struck out Derek Dietrich with a 3-2 curve to end the inning.

Miami put two runners aboard again in the ninth. Aroldis Chapman then threw seven fastballs of at least 100 mph to Dietrich, who finally struck out looking on a changeup.

The Marlins managed three infield hits among their 10 singles but went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. They rank last in the majors in wins at home, where they’re 5-13.

Sanabia allowed four runs in six innings and has lost five consecutive starts.

Notes: Cincinnati 3B Todd Frazier, batting .229, was given the night off. … Reds starters have allowed one earned run in 22 1-3 innings over the past three games. … Cincinnati RHP Mat Latos will try to win his fifth consecutive decision in the series finale Thursday against rookie Jose Fernandez.

2013 Western Buckeye League Meet

Bath Stadium

Wednesday’s Results

Girls Team Rankings - 3 Events Scored: Defiance 24, Celina 21, Wapakoneta 15, Ottawa-Glandorf 13, St. Marys Memorial 12, Shawnee 4, Elida and Van Wert 2.

Boys Team Rankings - 4 Events Scored: Ottawa-Glandorf 39, Elida 26, Wapakoneta 17, Kenton and Celina 10, Defiance 8, Van Wert 6, Bath and Shawnee 4.

By JIM METCALFE

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There has been a major uproar about the umpiring in Major League Baseball over the last week or so.

Whether it was a misinterpretation of the rules or a blown call on a video replay or whatever, the arbiters are under fire more than ever these days.

They are going to make mistakes; that is part of the game in any sport.

Do they make more mistakes these days than in the past or do we just notice it more?

After all, they didn’t have replays in the 1940s and 50s, for example, and the use of the technology has exploded in the recent years.

By JIM METCALFE

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RURAL MIDDLE POINT — Ottoville stayed within reasonable striking distance of Parkway’s fast-pitch softball unit.

That is, until the seventh inning when the Lady Panthers put it away with six runs to pace a 12-1 Division IV sectional final triumph on a windy Wednesday at Lincolnview Field.

The Lady Panthers (17-5) advance to take on Patrick Henry 5 p.m. Tuesday at Elida.