CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians stretched their franchise-record winning streak to 18 games, beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Sunday night behind home runs from Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez.
Cleveland’s streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 consecutive in 2002. The best run in baseball history belongs to the New York Giants, who had a 26-game streak in 1916, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Giants’ streak included a tie, which doesn’t count as a game in baseball.
This latest victory came with a drawback: Indians center fielder Bradley Zimmer broke a bone in his left hand. Bradley slid into first base trying to beat out a ground ball and got his hand stepped on. Manager Terry Francona said Zimmer will see a hand specialist this week.
The crowd of 21,259 roared in the ninth inning as Cody Allen recorded his 26th save. He struck out the first two hitters and retired Trey Mancini on a line drive to right field to end the game.
INDIANS 3, ORIOLES 2
Perez snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth with a leadoff home run. Lindor then broke two bats while running the count to 3-2 before homering to right. Cleveland’s All-Star shortstop, using a bat tossed to him by teammate Abraham Almonte, looked at the dugout and smiled as his 29th home run of the season sailed into the seats.
Cleveland hasn’t lost since Aug. 23 and has outscored its opponents 121-32 in the streak. Cleveland has trailed in only four of 162 innings during the stretch.
The Indians are a game ahead of Houston for the league’s best record and reduced their magic number to clinch the AL Central to seven. Cleveland trailed Houston by 14 games on July 22.
The New York Yankees won 19 in a row in 1947, which the Indians can match today against Detroit.
Trevor Bauer (16-8) allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander moved into a tie with Boston’s Chris Sale for the league lead in victories and has won nine consecutive decisions.
Jose Ramirez, back in the lineup after missing three games with a sore wrist, had an RBI groundout in the first. Baltimore tied it in the sixth on Jonathan Schoop’s single.
Chris Davis hit a solo home run in the seventh for Baltimore, which has lost four consecutive.
ATHLETICS 10, ASTROS 2 Astros ace Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) walked in two runs and forced in another by hitting another during a shaky sixth inning as host Oakland completed a four-game sweep of Houston, which entered tied with Cleveland for the best record in the AL. Keuchel allowed four runs over 5 2/3 innings.
RAYS 4, RED SOX 1 With Tampa Bay players’ thinking about Hurricane Irma approaching home, they beat host Boston to avoid a three-game sweep and deal reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello his major league-leading 17th loss.
YANKEES 16, RANGERS 7 Aaron Judge became the second major league rookie with a 40-home run season, going deep twice as visiting New York moved 3½ games ahead of Minnesota for the AL’s top wild card and closed within 3½ games of AL East-leading Boston. Texas trails the Twins by 2½ games.
ROYALS 11, TWINS 3 Jason Vargas (15-10) stopped his four-game losing streak and set a career high for victories, allowing 1 run and 4 hits in 5 innings. Brandon Moss homered and drove in four runs as Kansas City (71-71) gained a four-game split and moved within 2 1/2 games of Minnesota.
ANGELS 5, MARINERS 3 Justin Upton had a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth off Nick Vincent (3-2) to help visiting Los Angeles avoid a sweep and close within one game of Minnesota for the second AL wild card spot. BLUE JAYS 8, TIGERS 2 Teoscar Hernandez hit his first two home runs of the season and Darwin Barney had four hits for host Toronto.
INTERLEAGUE
WHITE SOX 8, GIANTS 1 Jose Abreu hit two home runs for host Chicago, a day after hitting for the cycle. Carson Fulmer (2-1) won his first major league game as a starter, allowing 1 run and 3 hits in 6 innings.
BRAVES 10, MARLINS 8 Rio Ruiz had a tying, two-run single with two outs in a three-run ninth inning and Lane Adams hit a two-run home run off Vance Worley (2-5) in the 11th for the host Braves.
ROCKIES 8, DODGERS 1 The NL West leaders lost their 10th consecutive game for their worst skid in 25 years and have dropped 15 of 16 yet still have the best record in the majors at 92-51. For the visiting Rockies, Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story also homered, and Tyler Chatwood (7-12) allowed five hits.
BREWERS 3, CUBS 1 Travis Shaw hit a two-run home run to back Zach Davies (17-8) as visiting Milwaukee complete a three-game sweep and closed within two games of the NL Central-leading Cubs. Chicago entered the series with a five-game division lead, a season high, but the defending World Series champions totaled three runs in the series.
CARDINALS 7, PIRATES 0 Yadier Molina hit a three-run home run and tied a career high with five RBI to back Michael Wacha (12-7), who allowed five hits in eight innings for the host Cardinals who have won three in a row and seven of eight.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 2 Paul Goldschmidt hit a home run on his 30th birthday and J.D. Martinez went deep twice for the host Diamondbacks.
REDS 10, METS 5 Tucker Barnhart’s career-high five RBI lifted visiting Cincinnati The Reds rallied for three runs in the seventh to make it 5-5.
NATIONALS 3, PHILLIES 2 The Washington Nationals became the first team in the majors to clinch a playoff spot this season, winning the NL East as Stephen Strasburg extended his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 innings in a victory over visiting Philadelphia. The Nationals also won the NL East in 2012, 2014 and last season but have not advanced past the divisional round.
Sports on 09/11/2017