Bieber tosses 3rd complete game for Indians’ win
CLEVELAND — Shane Bieber knows he will never be as famous as the singer with his surname. He doesn’t even mind that his latest Topps baseball card refers to him as Justin.
Bieber was content becoming the first pitcher this season to throw three complete games, leading the Cleveland Indians over the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 on Sunday with a five-hitter that finished a three-game sweep.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself because there is obviously a lot of work to be done, but I’ve strung a couple of good outings together,” the 24-year-old right-hander said. “It’s a lot of fun to be out there playing and giving these guys a chance to win. I know we’re going to put up runs and we’re going to have some fun doing it.”
Bieber (11-4) struck out eight and walked none, reaching 300 career strikeouts in his 44th big league appearance. The All-Star Game MVP threw 76 of 107 pitches for strikes and is 9-2 with 128 strikeouts in his last 15 starts.
Cleveland is 37-15 since June 4 — the best record in the majors in that span — and Bieber has taken over as ace from the injured Corey Kluber and the since-traded Trevor Bauer.
Jason Kipnis homered and drove in three runs, Francisco Lindor had two RBI and a home run, and rookie Oscar Mercado added a third solo shot for Cleveland, which is three games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota.
Mike Trout doubled for Los Angeles to become the sixth player with 275 home runs and 250 doubles before age 28.
ORIOLES 6, BLUE JAYS 5 Trey Mancini drove in two runs and host Baltimore took advantage of a wild debut by reliever Yennsy Diaz to beat Toronto.
TWINS 3, ROYALS 0 Devin Smeltzer pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning for his first major league victory, and Minnesota swept visiting Kansas City.
ASTROS 3, MARINERS 1 Justin Verlander struck out 10 in another dominant pitching performance, and host Houston completed a threegame sweep of Seattle.
RANGERS 9, TIGERS 4 Willie Calhoun hit a tiebreaking three-run triple in the seventh, and Texas beat visiting Detroit to complete a threegame sweep.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
REDS 6, BRAVES 4 (10) Tucker Barnhart hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the 10th inning and visiting Cincinnati defeated Atlanta.
METS 13, PIRATES 2 Robinson Cano appears headed back to the injured list after straining his left hamstring, an injury that overshadowed Noah Syndergaard’s sparkling outing in New York’s rout of host Pittsburgh.
CUBS 7, BREWERS 2 Jason Heyward drove in three runs, Yu Darvish pitched five effective innings and Chicago finished a three-game sweep of visiting Milwaukee.
ROCKIES 6, GIANTS 2 Kyle Freeland earned his first victory in nearly four months and Nolan Arenado homered twice to lead host Colorado past San Francisco.
DODGERS 11, PADRES 10 Max Muncy’s fourth hit was a two-run, walk-off double, and Los Angeles rallied from a late three-run deficit to top visiting San Diego.
DIAMONDBACKS 7, NATIONALS 5 Ketel Marte hit an inside-the-park home run, Adam Jones drove in four runs and host Arizona beat Washington.
INTERLEAGUE
WHITE SOX 10, PHILLIES 5 Leury Garcia hit a grand slam and Eloy Jimenez added a three-run shot, powering Chicago over host Philadelphia.
RAYS 7, MARLINS 2 Yonny Chirinos allowed one run in five innings before leaving with a hand injury, and Tampa Bay topped visiting Miami.
ATHLETICS 4, CARDINALS 2 Tanner Roark pitched five innings for the win in his A’s debut, and host Oakland beat St. Louis.
YANKEES 7, RED SOX 4 Aaron Judge homered early and a makeshift New York lineup beat David Price and visiting Boston.