CLEVELAND (AP) The Cleveland Indians stretched their franchise-record winning streak to 18 games, beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Sunday night behind homers from Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez.
Cleveland’s streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in 2002. The best run in baseball history belongs to the New York Giants, who had a 26-game streak in 1916, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Giants’ streak included a tie, which doesn’t count as a game in baseball.
The crowd of 21,259 roared in the ninth inning as Cody Allen recorded his 26th save. He struck out the first two hitters and retired Trey Mancini on a line drive to right field to end the game.
Perez snapped a 1-all tie in the sixth with a leadoff homer. Lindor then broke two bats while running the count to 3-2 before homering to right. Cleveland’s All-Star shortstop, using a bat tossed to him by teammate Abraham Almonte, looked at the dugout and smiled as his 29th homer of the season sailed into the seats.
Cleveland hasn’t lost since Aug. 23 and has outscored its opponents 121-32 in the streak. Cleveland has trailed in only four of 162 innings during the stretch.
The Indians are a game ahead of Houston for the league’s best record and reduced their magic number to clinch the AL Central to seven. Cleveland trailed Houston by 14 games on July 22.
The New York Yankees won 19 in a row in 1947, which the Indians can match Monday against Detroit.
Trevor Bauer (16-8) allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander moved into a tie with Boston’s Chris Sale for the league lead in wins and has won nine straight decisions.
Jose Ramirez, back in the lineup after missing three games with a sore wrist, had an RBI groundout in the first. Baltimore tied it in the sixth on Jonathan Schoop’s single.
Chris Davis hit a solo homer in the seventh for Baltimore, which has lost four straight and is three games out of the wild-card race. Jeremy Hellickson (3-3) allowed three runs in six innings.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez will make his first start since Aug. 30 in the first of a three-game series Monday against Toronto.
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco, coming off his first complete game of the season against the White Sox, will start the opener of a three-game series with visiting Detroit.
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