Photo By: Jason Miller/Getty Images
Almost 30,000 fans took to the corner of Carnegie and Ontario to watch The Cleveland Indians take a swing at history. Only two teams have won 21 games in a row in the past century of Major League Baseball.
Thanks to home runs from Jay Bruce and Roberto Perez, and another solid start from Mike Clevinger there is now a third team. The Indians completed a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, and extended their unprecedented winning streak to 21 games.
For only the second time in the winning streak, the opposing team scored first. Tigers Third Baseman Jeimer Candelario doubled in the first run of the game off Clevinger. In the home half of the first, the Tribe retaliated with a three run home run from mid-season acquisition, Jay Bruce. Bruce's 5th home run of with the Tribe gave Clevinger an another opportunity to pitch with a lead, as the Indians have only trailed for four innings during the 21 game winning streak.
Edwin Encarnación added another run with an RBI single in the third, scoring Jose Ramírez. That would be all the support Clevinger would need as the young starter went 5.2 IP with 6 strikeouts, with only one earned run.
The bullpen threw 3.1 scoreless innings, capped off by Cody Allen's 27th save of the season.
Up next, the Tribe will open up a four game set against the Kansas City Royals, a team they have already beat three times during the streak without giving up a run. Royals Starter Jake Junis (7-2 4.34 ERA) will try to do what hasn't been done sine August 23rd when he meets Josh Tomlin tomorrow at 7:10.