CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber without help is a handful. With help, Kluber can be unbeatable.

On Thursday night at Progressive Field, the New York Yankees' leaky defense handed Kluber two early runs, and the Cleveland Indians' ace, in the words of manager Terry Francona, "just took over."

Kluber pitched a three-hitter for his third complete game of the season as the Indians defeated the Yankees 5-1.

Kluber (9-3) struck out 11 and walked one. The Yankees' only run came on a solo homer by Gary Sanchez in the seventh inning.

"His stuff was dynamite," New York manager Joe Girardi said of Kluber.

Francisco Lindor homered and Yan Gomes had two RBIs for the Indians, who snapped their three-game losing streak. New York lost its third game in a row.

In his Yankees debut, Sonny Gray (6-6) pitched six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) and four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

"I've been looking forward to this moment for a while," Gray said. "I felt good. It just got away from me for a couple of hitters."

The Yankees' defense had a first-inning meltdown that resulted in two Cleveland runs, both unearned. Bradley Zimmer led off the inning by hitting a grounder that was booted by first baseman Chase Headley. Zimmer went to second on a groundout by Lindor.

Michael Brantley hit a grounder that was booted by second baseman Tyler Wade for an error. Zimmer went to third on the play.

Jose Ramirez then hit a single to right field, scoring Zimmer. Brantley went from first to third on the hit, and when right fielder Clint Frazier overthrew third baseman Ronald Torreyes for the Yankees' third error of the inning, Brantley trotted home to give the Indians a 2-0 lead.

The three errors were the most made by the Yankees in a single inning in seven years.

"That's as bad a first inning as we've had all year, and it led to two unearned runs and extra pitches for Sonny," Girardi said. "You know it's going to be a tight game with Kluber on the mound, but giving him extra runs like that makes it tough."

Kluber has struck out eight or more batters in 12 consecutive starts. Only three other pitchers in major league history have done that, and they are all in the Hall of Fame: Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Nolan Ryan.

"That's pretty cool," Kluber said. "All three of those guys, I grew up watching and idolizing. To be mentioned with them is an honor."

Cleveland added two more runs in the sixth inning with a two-out rally. After Gray retired the first two batters of the inning, Carlos Santana drew a walk and went to second on a single to right by Brandon Guyer.

Gomes snapped an 0-for-13 slide by bouncing a double off the left field wall, scoring both baserunners.

"That was a really nice swing, and (Gomes) needed it," Francona said.

"I hung a breaking ball and he took advantage of it," Gray said. He added, "When Kluber is on, he's tough to handle, and he was on tonight. I knew when I wasn't able to keep the margin at two runs, I put us in a tough situation."

Sanchez lined a 2-1 pitch from Kluber over the wall in center field for his 17th home run of the season to make it 4-1.

Lindor made it 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh, belting an 0-2 pitch from reliever Chasen Shreve over the left field wall for his 18th home run. Lindor extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.

NOTES: Indians 2B Jason Kipnis will play for Triple-A Columbus on Friday on a rehab assignment, and if he has no setbacks, the Indians will activate him Sunday. Kipnis has been on the disabled list since July 9 due to a strained right hamstring ... Having been rained out in Boston on Wednesday and with a scheduled off day Monday, the Indians will temporarily go with a four-man rotation. Manager Terry Francona said RHP Mike Clevinger would be moved to the bullpen for the next five to seven days. ... Yankees OF Aaron Judge, who has struggled since the All-Star break, was given a night off Thursday. Since the All-Star break, Judge is hitting .164 with a .657 OPS. ... With the additions of RHP Sonny Gray and LHP Jaime Garcia, who will start Friday, the Yankees will have used nine starting pitchers in their first 22 games after the All-Star break. The Yankees used seven starters in 86 contests prior to the break.