CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians earned their 17th straight win Saturday, topping the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 behind a pair of timely swings for Jay Bruce and Francisco Lindor.
Bruce’s fourth-inning single put the Indians ahead to stay 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. The longest streak in baseball history belongs to the New York Giants, who had a 26-game run in 1916, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Giants’ streak included a tie, which doesn’t count as a game in baseball.
Lindor added his 28th homer in the seventh for the Indians, who haven’t lost since Aug. 23.
Cleveland has outscored its opponents 118-30 in the streak, but its latest win came in a rare close game.
The Orioles jumped in front on Trey Mancini’s infield hit against Josh Tomlin in the first. It was the first time since Cleveland’s last loss that the Indians didn’t score first.
Tomlin (9-9) was pulled after Tim Beckham’s leadoff homer in the sixth. Five relievers combined to work the final four innings.
Baltimore rookie Gabriel Ynoa (1-1), making his first start of the season, allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings. The Orioles were three games out in the wild-card race entering play.
Giovanny Urshela’s third-inning double tied it at 1. Carlos Santana scored on Bruce’s single past a drawn-in infield, and then added an RBI double in the fifth.
The Indians nearly pulled off two spectacular defensive plays in the first. Urshela, playing second base for the first time in the majors, made a diving stop behind the bag of Manny Machado’s ground ball. Throwing while on his back, Urshela’s peg nearly got Machado at first.
Machado took third on Adam Jones’ single. Mancini hustled down the line to beat a strong throw from shortstop Lindor, who ranged behind second for his grounder.
The Indians went 11-0 on a road trip that ended Thursday. Cleveland extended the streak with a 5-0 win Friday in the opener of a 10-game homestand.
ROLLING ALONG
Cleveland slugger Edwin Encarnacion singled in the seventh and has reached base via a hit or walk in 32 consecutive games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: 2B Jose Ramirez (sore wrist) missed his third straight game. He hit seven homers and drove in nine runs during the team’s unbeaten road trip.
UP NEXT
Baltimore right-hander Jeremy Hellickson makes his eighth start since being acquired from Philadelphia on July 28. He is 2-3 with a 6.87 ERA with the Orioles. Cleveland right-hander Trevor Bauer seeks to extend his career-long winning streak to nine games. He is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four career starts against Baltimore.