Cleveland rolls to 21st straight win
CLEVELAND (AP) — For more than 100 years, American League teams have gone on winning streaks of varying lengths — short ones, long ones, doubledigit ones.
Nothing, though, like the one the Cleveland Indians have pieced together. A streak for the ages. The Indians set the AL record with their 21st straight win on Wednesday, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers, to join only two other teams in the past 101 years to win that many consecutive games.
Jay Bruce hit a three-run homer off Buck Farmer (4-3) and Mike Clevinger (10-5) won his fourth straight start as the Indians, a team with its sights set on ending the majors’ longest World Series title drought, matched the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the second-longest streak since 1900.
And in doing so, they separated themselves from every AL team since the league was formed in 1901.
“Who would’ve ever thought that we’d be in this situation?” Bruce said. “I can’t even imagine.” Believe it. The Indians are within five wins of catching the 1916 New York Giants, who won 26 straight without a loss but whose century-old mark includes a tie.
The Indians haven’t lost in 20 days, and they’ve rarely been challenged during a late-season run in which they’ve dominated every aspect of the game.
Cleveland’s starters have gone 19-0 with a 1.70 ERA, they’ve outscored their opponents 139-35 and trailed in only four of 189 innings.
“I think they’re enjoying themselves,” manager Terry Francona said as clubhouse music boomed in the background. “They should. I think what’s kind of cool about our game is when you do things, and you do them the right way, I think it means more. Our guys are playing the game to win, the right way.
“That part’s very meaningful. They should enjoy what they’re doing. It’s pretty special.”
ORIOLES 2, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO (CP) — Kevin Gausman pitched seven sharp innings as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Wednesday to snap a six-game losing streak.
Gausman (11-10) allowed one run on six hits, struck out six, walked one and hit a batter to improve to 3-0 against the Blue Jays this season.
Closer Zach Britton bounced back after blowing a one-run lead in Toronto’s 3-2 walkoff victory on Tuesday night. He worked around a one-out single for his 14th save.
Adam Jones drove in a run on a double and Trey Mancini followed with an RBI triple for the Orioles (72-74), who scored two unearned runs on Marcus Stroman (11-8) in the first inning.
Stroman allowed six hits along with the two unearned runs over 92 pitches in six innings of work. He also walked three and struck out seven.
Rookie Richard Urena had a run-scoring double for the Blue Jays (68-78), extending his hit streak to six games.
MARINERS 8, RANGERS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Zunino homered twice, Jean Segura also went deep and the Seattle Mariners won 8-1 at Texas on Wednesday night, jumping over the Rangers in the wild-card chase and handing Martin Perez his first loss in eight starts.
Zunino broke a scoreless tie with one out in the fifth with his 22nd homer, a rare shot into the secondlevel club deck in left field.
It was only the 23rd homer to reach that section in the ballpark that is in its 24th season.
His second solo homer, to right-centre in the seventh for his third multihomer game this season, capped a five-run outburst by the Mariners that inning.
Mike Leake struck out five and allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings to win his third consecutive start for the Mariners since they acquired him from St. Louis on Aug. 30. The right-hander was 7-12 in 26 starts for the Cardinals this season.