INDIANS MAKE IT 17 STRAIGHT WITH HELP FROM BRUCE, LINDOR
CLEVELAND» The Indians earned their 17th straight win Saturday, topping the Orioles 4-2 behind timely swings by Jay Bruce and Francisco Lindor.
Bruce’s fourth-inning single put the Indians ahead for good as Cleveland became just the second team in the expansion era — since 1961 — to win 17 straight in a season.
The crowd of 30,459 stood throughout the ninth inning as Cody Allen retired the heart of Baltimore’s order for his 25th save.
Cleveland’s franchise-record streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in 2002.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Aroldis Chapman earned his first save since being removed as closer to finish a one-hitter in the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the
Rangers. Tyler Austin hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning for the wild-cardleading Yankees. … Hernan Perez homered and drove in five runs, and the Brewers pounded the Cubs 15-2. Chase Anderson pitched five scoreless innings as Milwaukee pulled within three games of NL Central-leading Chicago. … Kevin Pillar had four hits, including a tiebreaking home run, and made another sparkling defensive play in the outfield, and Brett Anderson pitched six innings for his first victory with Toronto as the Blue Jays beat the Tigers 5-4. Pillar broke a 2-all tie with a leadoff drive against Warwick Saupold (3-2) in the sixth. … Rhys Hoskins went deep and drew three walks, Maikel Franco hit his 20th home run and the Phillies beat the Nationals 5-4. … Chris Sale struck out eight over six innings and Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run homer in the first to get Boston’s offense off to a fast start, carrying the Red Sox to a 9-0 victory over the Rays. … Rafael Montero overcame five walks to win his third straight start, Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run homer and the Mets beat the Reds 6-1. … Ender Inciarte’s bases-loaded walk from Kyle Barraclough with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Braves to a 6-5 victory over the Marlins. Barraclough threw four straight balls to Inciarte. … Jose Abreu became the first White Sox player to hit for the cycle in 17 years, among six Chicago players to go deep in a 13-1 rout of the
Giants. Abreu hit his 29th homer in the first off former White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija (9-13), doubled in the third, struck out in the fifth, singled in the seventh against Josh Osich and hit a two-run triple in the eighth versus Roberto Gomez. The previous White Sox player to hit for the cycle was Jose Valentin against the Baltimore Orioles on April 27, 2000. … Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter homered, and the Cardinals beat the Pirates 4-3 to gain ground in the NL Central. Tyler Lyons (4-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Juan Nicasio got three outs for his second save since he was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia on Wednesday. … Eric Hosmer drove in the go-ahead run with his third hit in a threerun eighth inning, helping the Royals beat the Twins 5-2. … Wil Myers homered twice, something the San Diego first baseman had not done in more than a year, and the Padres earned an 8-7 victory over the
Diamondbacks. … Houston’s bullpen forced in five runs with bases-loaded walks and the team tied a franchise record with 13 free passes, costing the Astros a loss to the Athletics, 11-1 in a doubleheader opener. In Game 2, Oakland blew the game open with a six-run eighth inning to cruise to an 11-4 victory.