Royals down Indians 4-3 to halt Cleveland's record streak

CLEVELAND: The Cleveland Indians can return to clinching their division and playoff preparations.

Their historic winning streak is, well, history.

Cleveland’s AL-record run was stopped at 22 straight games by Friday night's 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals, who became the first team to conquer the defending league champions since Aug. 23.

Jason Vargas (16-10) pitched into the sixth and Brandon Moss homered off Trevor Bauer (16-9) as the Royals ended baseball’s longest win streak in 101 years.

With one last chance in the ninth, the Indians put the tying run on base before Mike Minor struck out the side for his first pro save, fanning Francisco Lindor on a pitch in the dirt for the final out.

Dodgers 7 Nationals 0: In Washington, Alex Wood struck out eight in six innings, Corey Seager hit a three-run homer during a five-run second and the Dodgers won on the road.

Wood (15-3) allowed three hits and walked one. Los Angeles has won three in a row after losing 11 consecutive games and 16 of 17.

The teams entered the highly anticipated three-game series having clinched playoff berths and owning the top two records in the National League. The Dodgers lowered their magic number to clinch the NL West to six.

Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig homered in the Dodgers’ first Washington appearance since winning Game 5 of the NL Division Series last October.

Edwin Jackson (5-6) lasted just 2 1/3 innings. The NL East champion Nationals fell six games back of Los Angeles in the chase for home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Brewers 10 Marlins 2: In Milwaukee, Neil Walker hit a grand slam during an eightrun eighth inning, and the Brewers beat the Marlins in the opening game of a series relocated from Miami to Milwaukee because of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

The Marlins were technically the home team and batted in the bottom of the innings. Milwaukee even used palm trees, fake flamingos and giant blue and pink sea shells to give Miller Park a South Florida feel.

Miami’s Dee Gordon went hitless in four at-bats to end his 17-game hitting streak. Brian Ellington (0-1) got the loss.

Jared Hughes (4-3) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

Cubs 8 Cardinals 2: In Chicago, Kris Bryant had three hits, including his 27th homer, and the Cubs opened a big weekend series with their fourth consecutive win.

Bryant went deep in the fourth and singled twice in Chicago's seven-run sixth.

The NL Central-leading Cubs stayed three games ahead of Milwaukee and increased their advantage over St. Louis to four games.

Chicago pitcher John Lackey and catcher Willson Contreras were thrown out for yelling at plate umpire Jordan Baker in the fifth. Carl Edwards Jr. (4-4) pitched a perfect sixth for the win.

Tommy Pham homered for St. Louis. Carlos Martinez (11-11) was charged with seven runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. LAS VEGAS: Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin stepped on the scales at the MGM Grand Garden Arena then came face-to-face for the cameras on Friday, one day before they meet in one of the most anticipated fights in years.

Three-belt champion Golovkin wore black shorts and smiled as he stepped on the scale first weighing the 160-pound (72.5 kg) middleweight limit for Saturday’s world title fight against Alvarez at the T-Mobile Arena.

Alvarez was up next, climbing onto the scales in his blue shorts and registering the same 160 pounds for a bout that has all the ingredients to produce a fight of the year.

“I am very happy for all the love and support of these fans,” Alvarez told the crowd. “I am going to give them 100 percent. I trained hard and I am disciplined.

“I take all this responsibility seriously and I am going to give them a great fight.”

Kazakhstan’s Golovkin is putting his World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation, belts on the line but to the uninitiated it might have seemed more like Alvarez was the champ.

Alvarez drew louder cheers from the pro-Mexican crowd, stepped on the scale last and made Golovkin wait several minutes on stage before making his initial appearance, which was preceded by a video tribute on the jumbotron screen.

The fighters, who once sparred together at Golovkin’s gym in Big Bear, California, then posed amicably during their staredown in front of a crowd of 9,400.

That has been consistent with the buildup to the sold-out fight, which has lacked the vitriolic trash talk typical of world title fights.

“See you tomorrow. I have been champion a long time. This is boxing and I am a very true guy,” said Golovkin, who goes by the nickname ‘Triple G’ on Friday.

Alvarez, who was the more stonefaced of the two, sent the crowd into a frenzy as he shadowboxed briefly at the front of the stage — his new signature weigh-in move.

Hundreds of people stood on line for hours outside the Grand Garden for the chance to see the weigh-in, chanting and singing along with a neatly attired Mariachi band.

For many, it represented their only hope of seeing either fighter in the flesh as the bout has been sold out for weeks.

Las Vegas construction worker Harvey Hernandez attended the weigh-in with his friend Roger Ramirez and said Alvarez has a better boxing style.

“I am picking Canelo,” the 26-year-old said. “He is better than Triple G. He is going to outclass him and he is from Mexico.

“It won’t go the distance. He is going to get knocked out or he will knock Golovkin out.”

Said El-Tahan flew all the way from Sweden to watch the fight and says Golovkin must avoid having the decision in the hands of the judges.

“Golovkin will win,” said the Malmo police officer. “He is a great fighter and a strong puncher.