UCLA’s Adam Plutko drafted by Cleveland Indians in 11th round

UCLA pitcher Adam Plutko finally got the call. The Cleveland Indians selected him in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball draft on Saturday.

Plutko’s situation perplexed UCLA Coach John Savage on Friday. The junior right-hander was a sixth-round pick by the Houston Astros out of Glendora High School but couldn’t get a sniff through the first 10 rounds.

After waiting all day for news, Plutko had to face third-ranked Cal State Fullerton in the NCAA super-regional.

“You have to feel for Adam,” Savage said Friday. “It’s like if they held the NBA draft on the day of Final Four. The emotions are hard. You have some guys excited that they got drafted, and the guy next to him is disappointed, sitting there looking at his cellphone.”

Savage said the timing of the draft was difficult for all players.

“I don’t know why they have the draft at this time of year,” he said. “I understand that they want it done before the summer. Usually they have it during the week, before the games.”

It didn’t befuddle Plutko too much. He went seven innings, allowing only an unearned run, and left leading, 3-1.

“That will be a performance remembered for a long time,” Savage said.

The Bruins lost the lead, but won in 10 innings, 5-3.

ALSO:

Angels’ 9-5 win over Red Sox is a walk in the park ... kind of

Josh Hamilton bats second in effort to spark struggling Angel

Kings and Blackhawks look beyond the numbers before Game 5