Bauer powers Cleveland to No. 12
Trevor Bauer was sharp again to win his eighth decision in a row, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Monday for their 12th straight victory.
A day after tying the major league record with five extra-base hits, including two homers, Jose Ramirez homered again for the Indians, his 23rd of the season. Carlos Santana added his 22nd home run.
Bauer (15-8) gave up two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and one walk over 61/3 innings as the Indians allowed more than two runs for just the third time in the 12-game run. It’s the longest winning streak for AL Central-leading Cleveland since a team-record 14 consecutive wins last season.
James Shields (2-6) kept the White Sox in the game before taking a line drive by Francisco Mejia off the knee in the top of the seventh. Shields limped off the field and is considered day-to-day.
The veteran right-hander allowed four runs and six hits in 61/3 innings, extending his streak to 11 starts without a win.
The 21-year-old Mejia, a top catching prospect, had a run-scoring single in the fourth for his first hit and RBI in his first career start for the Indians.
The White Sox also received a shot in the arm from newcomer Rymer Liriano, who drove in all three runs with a two-run homer in the fifth — his first hit with Chicago — and a run-scoring double in the seventh.
The 26-year-old outfielder’s only other career home run came with the San Diego Padres in 2014. He hadn’t appeared in the major leagues since then until being called up on Saturday.
Relievers Joe Smith, Tyler Olson and Bryan Shaw set up Cody Allen, who survived two walks to pitch a scoreless ninth for his 24th save.