Cleveland Indians hit blackjack

CLEVELAND The Cleveland Indians hit baseball blackjack — 21!

Cleveland won its 21st straight game Wednesday, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers, to set an American League winning-streak record and 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 matched the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the second-longest streak since 1900. The run has put Cleveland 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 this late-season run.

However, they had to overcome a costly error and rely on their bullpen to hold off the Tigers, who closed to within 4-3.

Roberto Perez added a homer in the seventh and four Cleveland relievers made appearances, with Cody Allen getting his 27th save.

With the crowd of 29,346 standing and stomping, Allen retired Ian Kinsler for the final out, giving Cleveland the league’s longest streak since the AL was founded in 1901.

During their streak, which began with a 13-6 win over Boston Aug. 23, the Indians have rarely been tied, never mind equalled, for nine innings.

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.

Cleveland opens a four-game series Thursday against Kansas City, which was outscored 20-0 on its three-day visit last month.