outta sight is 20/20! kluber, tribe tie record by jordan bastian...

Outta sight is 20/20! Kluber, Tribe tie record By Jordan Bastian and Jason Beck / MLB.com | 2:16 AM ET + 216 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians may not be swept up in their historic winning streak, but the significance of this moment is not lost on the players inside Cleveland's clubhouse. With their 2-0 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday night, a win powered by a complete-game gem from ace Corey Kluber, the Indians won their 20th game in a row. That moved the Tribe into a tie with the 2002 A's for the longest run of consecutive wins in American League history, and put the Indians one win shy of the modern baseball record. • Indians' streak compared with other sports "It's something special," Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "It's going to be there forever." The 1935 Cubs hold the mark for most wins in consecutive games with 21 -- a mark the Tribe will aim for on Wednesday afternoon on MLB.TV and MLB Network (noon ET), with starter Mike Clevinger on the hill. The Elias Sports Bureau credits the 1916 New York Giants with an MLB-record 26-game winning streak, though that impressive run included a tie within a 27-game stretch. Kluber was 16 years old when the A's completed their 20-game streak, which was made even more famous by the "Moneyball" book and movie. Cleveland's ace can recall that streak's signature moment: Scott Hatteberg's pinch-hit, walk-off homer against the Royals to seal win No. 20. "I definitely remember when Hatteberg hit the home run," Kluber said. "I don't remember game by game, but I do remember that." Kluber also recalls thinking how amazing that streak was 15 years ago. "It's pretty crazy to think about," he said, "just because you play so many games in so many days over such long stretches and stuff. To go almost three weeks without losing a game is not something that you ever really expect." Kluber was on the mound the last time Cleveland lost -- back on Aug. 23 against the Red Sox. During the Tribe's incredible 20-game run, the ace and his rotation counterparts have powered the streak with overwhelming pitching. The starting staff has gone a combined 18-0 with a 1.71 ERA during the winning streak. Cleveland now has seven shutouts within this streak and an MLB-leading 19 shutouts on the season (the most in a year by the Indians since 1968). In the latest, which represented Kluber's sixth career shutout (and third this season), the right-hander struck out eight, scattered five hits and walked none en route to his 16th win of the season. Indians manager Terry Francona continued to downplay the winning streak, as he has throughout his team's historic stretch. "I don't look at it like everything is on the line," Francona said of the streak. "We just showed up to win. I thought tonight was a fun game to be a part of." Tigers lefty Matthew Boyd did his part in trying to halt Cleveland's momentum, piling up a career-high 116 pitches and limiting the Indians to one run in his five frames. In five career appearances against the Indians, Boyd has turned in a tidy 1.91 ERA in 28 1/3 innings, but one mistake was enough on this night. "He was a few pitches better than me," Boyd said of Kluber. Boyd's lone setback came in the form of a leadoff homer from Lindor in the first inning, giving Kluber the support he'd need for his latest gem. The Indians tacked on a run in the sixth, when Carlos Santana doubled and eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch from reliever Drew VerHagen. With the win, the AL Central-leading Indians are within four games of the Dodgers for baseball's best record. Cleveland also saw its magic number to clinch its second straight division crown trimmed to five. • Current standings "We're one of five or six teams that they've beaten and swept," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "I just want to win. I don't care if the team's won 20 in a row or lost 20 in a row. I just want to win. There's no other way around it. They've been on a great run, I give them all the credit in the world. "They're probably the best team in baseball, certainly right now they are. But I don't want to stop them because they're on some streak. I want to stop them because I want to win a baseball game." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED No. 30 for Lindor: For the 19th time in the past 20 games, the Indians struck first, and it was a familiar hero who delivered in the first inning. Lindor ended an eight-pitch battle vs. Boyd with a leadoff home run, giving the Indians shortstop 30 shots on the season. That put Lindor into a tie with Jimmy Rollins (2007) and Jose Valentin ('04) for the most homers in a season by a switch-hitting shortstop in baseball history. "Remember when you guys would ask me [about Lindor]?" Francona said. "And I'd say, 'We don't know [how good he'll become], but it's going to be fun to watch.' And it has been. He's growing into a guy that is able to use the whole ballpark and hit for average, but also drive the ball out of the ballpark and play the defense." More > Kluber escapes: Scoring chances against Kluber have been few and far between for teams this season, but Detroit had an opportunistic situation right away. Ian Kinsler led off the game with a double slashed down the right-field line and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Alex Presley. Unfazed, Kluber struck out Miguel Cabrera looking with a borderline, backdoor sinker, and then fanned Nicholas Castellanos swinging to end the threat. "You're trying to score first. We just couldn't get it done," Kinsler said. "And Corey obviously went on to throw a great game after that. You never really expect a first-inning home run like Lindor hit, or a first-inning missed chance like we had, to decide the game. But when you have a guy who throws the ball as well as Corey, it did tonight. That's the story." QUOTABLE "We haven't talked about it at all. I haven't heard anybody in there talking about how many games in a row we've won or anything like that. Obviously we're aware of it, just because of the attention that it gets, but it's not something that we're focusing on." -- Kluber "Am I focused on it? Not really. Are we focusing on it around here? Not really. You don't see guys talking about it. You don't see guys sitting in the lunch room, saying, 'Oh, my God, we have a chance of winning 20. We have a chance of winning 21.' Not really. We're just enjoying the ride, understanding that we're on a high right now and having fun. We'll see what happens." -- Lindor

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS • Lindor joins Hal Trosky (42 in 1936 in age-23 season; 35 in '34 in age-21 season) and Manny Ramirez (31 in '95 in age-23 season) as the only players 23 years old or younger in Indians history with 30-plus homers in a season. • The Indians have trailed in only four of 180 innings during the 20-game streak. • DYK: Inside Indians' 20-game win streak WHAT'S NEXT Tigers: Right-hander Buck Farmer (4-2, 6.32) has a lunch date with the dangerous Cleveland lineup as the Tigers and Indians wrap up their three-game series with a 12:10 p.m. ET game at Progressive Field on Wednesday. Farmer is 0-3 with an 8.50 ERA against Cleveland in five career outings, three of them starts. Indians: Right-hander Mike Clevinger (9-5, 3.30 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Tribe. Clevinger has allowed just one earned run in 18 innings against Detroit this season and has logged six shutout frames in each of his past three starts. Indians can tie MLB record with 21 straight wins By William Kosileski / MLB.com | 18 minutes ago + 12 COMMENTS The Indians have already made history, and they will aim to do it again on Wednesday afternoon, live on MLB.TV and MLB Network at noon ET. The Tribe will look to tie the 1935 Cubs for the modern baseball record of 21 straight victories when it hosts the Tigers in the series finale at Progressive Field. Cleveland will send right-hander Mike Clevinger (9-5, 3.30 ERA) to the hill, while Detroit will start righty Buck Farmer (4-2, 6.32 ERA). This season, Farmer is 0-1 in one start vs. the Indians -- having allowed five runs in three innings in a Sept. 1 loss -- while Clevinger has gone 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA in three starts vs. Detroit. After the Indians defeated the Tigers, 2-0, on Tuesday night, they tied the 2002 "Moneyball" Athletics not only for the longest winning streak in the Expansion Era (since 1961), but the longest winning streak in American League history. "It's cool, yeah, for sure," Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "It's something special. It's going to be there forever." The 1916 New York Giants, who went 27 straight games without losing, are credited by Elias with the longest "win" streak, but that team had a tie in its run, winning 12, then the tie, followed by 14 more wins. While acknowledging the Indians' place in history, Lindor, however, said the team is not preoccupied with the streak itself. "Are we focusing on it around here? Not really," Lindor said. "You don't see guys talking about it. You don't see guys sitting in the lunch room, saying, 'Oh, my God, we have a chance of winning 20. We have a chance of winning 21.' Not really. We're just enjoying the ride, understanding that we're on a high right now and having fun. We'll see what happens." The Indians' remarkable winning streak began on Aug. 24, when they defeated the Red Sox, 13-6. The Tribe then went on to sweep five straight series (Royals, Yankees, Tigers, White Sox and Orioles) before taking the first two games against Detroit in this current set. Clevinger will look to continue the dominance of Cleveland's pitching staff in his 20th start of the season. He is coming off his third straight win, having gone six innings in each without allowing a run in wins over the Royals, Tigers and Orioles. "I think our guys feel pretty confident right now with everybody," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "When you send a pitcher out there every night, and your guys feel like, 'OK, let's go,' that's important." In his last start -- Friday against the Blue Jays -- Farmer earned the win after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings. The Tigers right-hander said that he is looking forward to facing the Tribe. "Everybody in here is competitive, as well as myself," said Farmer, who is 0-3 with an 8.50 ERA in five games (three starts) vs. Cleveland in his career. "We're just going to go out there and play the game. You can't give up. They're on a [historic] winning streak, but it's another game, another day, a different opportunity." "We're one of five or six teams that they've beaten and swept," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "I just want to win. I don't care if the team's won 20 in a row or lost 20 in a row. I just want to win. There's no other way around it. They've been on a great run, I give them all the credit in the world. They're probably the best team in baseball, certainly right now they are. But I don't want to stop them because they're on some streak. I want to stop them because I want to win a baseball game." Three things to know about this game • Indians second baseman Jose Ramirez and Lindor have been unconscious at the plate in Cleveland's streak, as good things are happening based on how consistently they're clubbing the baseball. Per Statcast, both Ramirez and Lindor have led their respective positions in the rate of hard-hit balls (those hit with at least 95-mph exit velocity) they put in play during the streak. • A big key to Cleveland's sustained excellence has been its ability to score before the opposing team. In 19 of their 20 games in the winning streak, the Indians have scored first. In that stretch, the Tribe has outscored its opponents 64-12 during the first three innings. • Clevinger has gone six scoreless innings in each of his last three starts, making him the first Indians pitcher since 1981 (John Denny) to have three straight starts of at least six shutout frames. Lindor joins elite company with 30th home run By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 12:00 AM ET + 4 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor insists that he is not a power hitter. As the Indians' shortstop tore around the bases on Tuesday night, in front of a Progressive Field audience that shook the ballpark in celebration, Lindor continued to play the role of the unlikely slugger well. In a 2-0 shutdown performance by Corey Kluber over the Tigers, Lindor wasted no time in offering some early heroics in the Indians' 20th straight victory, which tied the A's for the American League record. He slammed a pitch from Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd over the 19-foot wall in left field for a leadoff home run, which marked his 30th shot of the season and ninth in the past 20 games. Full Game Coverage

"He's worked very hard and become a very good hitter," Kluber said. "It's not by accident. His defense is what got all the attention initially, but he's turned himself into more than just a good defensive player. He's a good all-around player." Lindor's home run put his name alongside some greats in terms of power prowess. With that blast, Lindor tied Jimmy Rollins (30 homers in 2007) and Jose Valentin (30 in '04) for the most home runs in a single season by a switch-hitting shortstop. Lindor is also the first shortstop 23 years old or younger to enjoy a 30-homer campaign since '99, when Alex Rodriguez launched 42 in his age-23 season. In terms of Indians history, Lindor joined Hal Trosky (42 in 1936 and 35 in '34) and Manny Ramirez (31 in 1995) as the only players 23 or younger to have at least 30 homers in a season. What does No. 30 mean to Lindor? "I haven't really thought about it," Lindor said. "It's something special, because I helped the team win today. It's just cool. It's cool. It's a blessing. I'm honored." The Indians and 2002 A's are the only teams in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to enjoy a winning streak of at least 20 games. The 1935 Cubs (21 wins in a row) own the modern baseball record for wins in consecutive games. The Elias Sports Bureau credits the 1916 New York Giants with an MLB-record 26-game winning streak, but there was a tie within that 27-game stretch. During the 20 wins for the Indians, Lindor has helped power the lineup by hitting .364/.437/.792 with nine homers, two doubles, two triples and 19 RBIs. That included a critical home run on Sunday night, when Lindor cracked his bat and still went deep while using teammate Abraham Almonte's lumber for one swing. Asked again if he can be called a power hitter, Lindor smirked. "When I hit 50," Lindor said. "Then you can call me a power hitter, but it won't happen." All business: Rotation surge starts with Kluber By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | 12:44 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The streak was placed in Corey Kluber's hands, and the Indians' ace refused to let go. Kluber took the mound at Progressive Field on Tuesday night, spun a complete-game masterpiece and carried Cleveland to a level only one other team has experienced in the long, storied history of the American League. "It's pretty crazy to think about," Kluber admitted after the 2-0 win over the Tigers. Pitching has powered this remarkable 20-game winning streak for the Indians, so there was some poetry to the fact that it was Kluber on the mound to secure that historic round number. Prior to this Cleveland club, only the 2002 A's of "Moneyball" fame had won that many in a row in AL history. One more win, and the Indians will tie the 1935 Cubs for the modern baseball record for wins in consecutive games. Kluber knew the history at stake, but insisted that it was business as usual for the Indians. Really, when looking at the production of the pitching staff over the past three weeks, and even farther back to the start of the second half, Tuesday night was indeed like plenty of others of late. This was Cleveland's Major League-leading 19th shutout of the season and seven within the winning streak. During the 20 straight wins, the rotation has gone 18-0 with a 1.71 ERA, as part of the 1.60 ERA for the staff overall. Kluber sets the tone atop the starting staff. "He's a true leader of a staff," Indians catcher Yan Gomes said. "This is the kind of guy that a pitching staff looks for and tries to rebuild. He's the model of it." Kluber is in the midst of a personally impressive campaign that has thrust him to the forefront of the discussion for the AL Cy Young and Pitcher of the Year awards. Dating back to June 1, when he returned from a month-long bout with a back injury, the right-hander has turned in a 1.77 ERA with 202 strikeouts against 21 walks in 147 1/3 innings. As if that is not overpowering enough, Kluber has punched the gas during this streak. On Aug. 23, Kluber struck out 12 and surrendered just two runs over 7 2/3 innings against the Red Sox. Still, he was saddled with a hard-luck loss, which just so happens to be the last time Cleveland was defeated. During the streak? The Tribe ace has four wins to go with a 1.41 ERA, 35 strikeouts and only two walks in 32 innings. Against the Tigers, Kluber struck out eight, scattered five hits and ended with no walks in a 113-pitch gem. "He's one of the best in the game -- never mind the division," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He's got four pitches, and they all kind of look the same coming out of his hand, but they all move differently. He's very methodical. He's got good command. He doesn't walk a lot of guys, and he's just got outstanding stuff." Recently, that assessment could be applied to each of Cleveland's starters. While the team has overpowered its opponents offensively as well during this run, the Indians' plus-102 run differential in the past 20 games has been paved by the pitching staff. The lineup has delivered early leads -- Cleveland has scored first in 19 of the 20 games -- and the starters have gone into attack mode. And it all starts with Kluber. "Everybody kind of looks up to him," Indians manager Terry Francona said, "because of the way he carries himself and the professional that he is. It's hard not to." Kluber carried Cleveland to the record book on Tuesday. True to his character, the team's stoic ace downplayed the streak. "We're just going about our business," Kluber said. Sept. 12: Tito’s pregame minutiae by Jordan Bastian Highlights from manager Terry Francona’s Tuesday media session… Update on Andrew Miller (10-day DL, right knee):

“The next step is going to be Thursday. We need to work through whether it’s in a real game or a sim game. We just need some time to get Andrew, Mickey, myself, the medical guys together later today or maybe even tomorrow, because we want to see how he bounces back. But, it will be Thursday, and those are the two choices.” On Corey Kluber’s leadership: “I think when Masty left, I think Corey kind of slid into that spot. And he’s not a very loud guy, but his leading by example is impeccable. You talk about somebody that does their thing every day the way you’re supposed to. In fact, we even have some younger kids, the Fall Development kids, like 15–20 young players, we’re actually going to have a couple of the pitchers follow he and Tomlin around for a day or so to watch how they do their, like their lift, just because they do it so well.” What does this winning streak mean to Francona? “I just want to win tonight, I’ve always felt like that. Maybe you don’t believe me. I want us to show up every day and play the best game we can. I think if you do that really well, then maybe these types of questions start happening. But, we’re going to lose a game. It doesn’t take away from how I feel about this place or anything like that. I also don’t want to get too carried away, because it’s more I think fun for maybe you guys. I mean, I know our guys are enjoying it, but it doesn’t garner you anything more than the wins — that’s what’s important. How many in a row or last 10 or whatever, that’s arbitrary. We just show up and play, that’s the best way to look at it.” On what Francona remembers from Oakland’s streak in 2002, when he was on the Rangers’ coaching staff: “I was there the next year with them [the A’s]. I don’t remember a lot about it. We were trying so damn hard to be a good team there and they were in our division. I’m sure we were part of the losses.” Update on Bradley Zimmer (fractured bone in left hand): “He got the surgery and all the stuff done. In two weeks, he’ll be re-examined and then the doctor will kind of say what he can do next. The timetable they put on return-to-play was like 6–8 weeks. … In two weeks, we’ll let him get looked at it, see what he’s able to do and let him do as much as he can and see where it goes. I mean, last year Gomer was supposedly done for the year and he played, so … we just want to get him better.” On how Day 1 of the Kipnis-in-center experiment went: “Very well. He’s out there again today and he’s pushing to play Sunday. I think the trainers are maybe looking at Tuesday. So, maybe we’ll split the difference and let him come in here Monday on the off-day. I’m sure he’ll like that. But anyway, that’s sort of a general timetable. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes out there and does just fine. That’s kind of how I feel about it.” On playing their best baseball of the year down the stretch: “It’s all fluid. Every day, you play a game and you move on. It’s different than other sports. In football and basketball, you’re trying to — I get it. Baseball is so different, depending on who is pitching that night or things like that. Believe me when I say it, [we] try to stay in the moment. Win or lose, you try to learn from whatever you need to and then we move on very quickly for the next day.” On Yandy Diaz’s improvement offensively: “I think a sense of belonging has helped his hitting. He’s going up there taking, at times, some pretty ferocious swings. I still think another [500-700] at-bats, his better hitting is in front of him. But, he’s a good hitter. His defense is really improving, which is good. But, I think he understands now — he’s got 100 at-bats or so — he can do this.” On Danny Salazar’s next step: “Yeah, we talked about it today a little bit. … We have a couple of days coming up that we’re going to give some guys an extra day, so we would have a day where we need a starter. So depending on how we get there, it would either be he or Merritt. So, some of that depends on how we get there — if we use him in a game, if we do a sim game. So, we’ll get to it.” On whether the Indians are trying for baseball’s best record: “I’m going to say it one more time: We’re really trying to win tonight. I think if you do that, and you do it well enough, you look up at the end and you’re where you deserve to be. No matter how much I say, ‘We’re doing this or that,’ if you’re looking two weeks ahead, you end up missing what’s right in front of you. Our guys are doing a really good job of just staying in the moment and playing the game. Then, that stuff will get figured out.” Does Francona know where the winning streak stands? “Yeah, but it’s not like it’s been on my mind. I can promise you that.” Does he know the 1916 N.Y. Giants’ “record” of 26 games in a row includes a tie game? “I did know that, only because somebody told me. I wish that was the case now.” On how Diaz fits into the picture defensively down the road: “Sometimes it’s based on needs. I think the hope would be that he can be maybe an evryday third baseman. Earlier in the season when we needed an outfielder, we were so banged up… He’s worked hard to be a third baseman. I think that may be his best position, but who knows? When you find guys that can hit like that, we’ll find a place.”

On confidence in the rotation right now: “I think our guys feel pretty confident right now with everybody, and that’s part of, when you send a pitcher out there every night and your guys feel like, ‘OK, let’s go,’ that’s important. Trevor has worked really hard to kind of get there. Carrasco’s been really good. I mean, when Tomlin pitches, everybody knows, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ That’s part of, I think, what makes a good team, is when you send a pitcher out there every night, the guys feel like they have a good chance to win.” With the streak going on, did Francona hear anything from fans on his commute to the stadium? “Some guy hollered at me, but I was going too fast. So, you were streaking? [Laughter] “Sunday, this was interesting. Sunday, I was coming in about 11–11:30, and there was a ton of people in front of my building. I didn’t even know there was a Browns game until I got downstairs. And I went to get on the hog and I kind of lost my balance and I started to fall into the bushes, and I looked over there and Tyronn Lue was over there. And I was going to go say hello to him, but I was so embarrassed that I just got on and took off across the street. I’d bet you if you see him, he’ll say, I bet you he saw it and he’ll go, ‘What an idiot.’ Because I really wanted to say hello to him, but I was so embarrassed.” The Indians are unstoppable and about to get a lot better By Joel Sherman September 12, 2017 | 11:28am Pick your extreme. Which do you focus upon daily? They are both historic. The fall of the Dodgers or the rise of the Indians? To say I am stunned by what has befallen Los Angeles defies understatement. It would be like Rafael Nadal suddenly being unable to get out of the first round of any tournament. Three weeks ago the Dodgers were on the cover of Sports Illustrated which asked whether they were the greatest team ever. They were on a 116-win pace and were outscoring opponents by 213 runs. You know those movies in which the ugly duckling becomes the swan? So unrealistic. Well, this is reality. The Dodgers have transformed from the 1998 Yankees to the 1962 Mets, losing 15-of-16 through Monday and 11 in a row to become a Hollywood disaster. In the half-full world, though, there are the Indians, who essentially developed amnesia for how to lose. They won their AL record-tying 20th straight Tuesday night, beating the Tigers 2-0 for their seventh shutout during this run. In this streak they have outscored their opponents by 102 runs (134-32). “You have to have humility to know that things can change quickly,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said by phone. If he needed illustration he could offer his players the before and after results of the 2017 Dodgers. But this also is the core group of Indians who led the Cubs three games to one in last year’s World Series and lost three straight, the last two in Cleveland, including Game 7 in 10 Von Miller-blindside-hit painful innings. Why I chose to hone in on the Indians today is because they are better than last year, more equipped than the 2016 team to win Cleveland’s first title since 1948. Here’s why: 1. The Indians lost Nos. 2-3 starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar to injury late last season. Manager Terry Francona was credited for understanding the urgency of October and going to his powerhouse pen early and often. But he really had no other options. The Maddux-esque Corey Kluber was brilliant. But Francona had no other good options. This season Kluber is as great as ever, Carrasco is thriving in the No. 2 spot, Trevor Bauer is finally fully honoring his high first-round pedigree and Mike Clevinger is a pleasant wild card. The bullpen is still a strength, but Kluber has real sidekicks this time around. 2. The entire 20-game win streak has been constructed without Cleveland’s most dominant player, Andrew Miller, the greatest force in last year’s playoffs. Miller (knee tendinitis) threw a simulated game Monday and Antonetti said he “is champing at the bit” to be activated. Antonetti said that would occur in the next few days. So, the Indians, who lead the AL in rotation ERA and the majors in bullpen ERA, are about to upgrade their pitching staff. 3. From 2013-15 the Pirates made the playoffs and had among the majors’ best teams, but refused to leave their conservative cocoon and expend big money and/or big prospects to go for it. The Indians, operating from a similar market, have understood the value of seizing the moment. They obtained Miller at last year’s trade deadline, then shocked the game by signing Edwin Encarnacion last offseason and took on the remainder of Jay Bruce’s contract in August. Encarnacion and Bruce have helped make Cleveland’s lineup deeper and more treacherous than last season — it already had five more homers than it hit in all of 2016. In addition, the middle infield of Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor ranks first and third in the AL in extra-base hits — Ramirez has four more than anyone in the league.

And the Indians expect Jason Kipnis back in the next few days, but with Ramirez thriving, the second baseman is going to try some outfield, like he played at Arizona State. And there still is a chance, Antonetti said, that Michael Brantley will get back in time to help for the playoffs. The deep Indians have had this great success in 2016-17 mainly without Brantley, who previously had been their best player. 4. The Indians remind me of the 2015 Royals, who responded to a Game 7 World Series loss the year before by blowing away the AL Central and winning their first title since 1985. It took a few months for these Indians to right themselves. It is easy to forget now they opened the second half by losing five of six to the dreadful A’s and Giants, bringing on a version of what the Dodgers are experiencing now — what is wrong with the Indians? The answer is very little to nothing. Their front office has done a remarkable job of layering the roster with excellence on a tight allowance — Cleveland just might have seven of the best 75 players in the game and then another 6-7 in the next 75-100. Ownership has permitted that tight allowance to expand in this moment of championship possibility. The team excels at every phase of the game, is deep, has playoff experience and — in Francona — has a difference-making manager now and in October. “Our guys have enough awareness that you have to earn success,” Antonetti said of concerns about peaking too soon before the playoffs and growing overconfident due to the winning streak. “They know as soon as you think differently how quickly everything can change in this game.” Roaring 20: Indians tie AL record with 20th straigh t win CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor skipped through the doorway and into the Indians' clubhouse, where the pulsating music was at an ear-splitting level. As many of his teammates dressed quickly with another game just 14 hours away, Cleveland's star shortstop worked the room, exchanging high-fives with anyone he could find. It's almost unthinkable for a team to win 20 straight games. A generous call might've helped Kluber notch his first strikeout Tuesday. But you don't tie the AL record for longest win streak without a few breaks. Usually, that only happens in the movies. "Moneyball" has its sequel. Following a familiar script of scoring first, playing strong defense and riding dominant pitching, the Indians extended their winning streak to 20 and matched the AL mark held by the 2002 Oakland Athletics, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday night. Cleveland's streak, which began Aug. 24 in Boston, is tied for the majors' second-longest in 82 years -- and the Indians show no signs of stopping. "It's special," Lindor said. "As a kid, you dream about playing in front of a lot of fans and the crowd goes nuts. That's what you want. This is for them. It's not for us." Lindor homered leading off the first and Corey Kluber (16-4) strengthened his Cy Young Award case with a four-hitter as Cleveland joined the 2002 A's, 1935 Chicago Cubs (21) and 1916 New York Giants (26) as the only teams since 1900 to win at least 20 in a row. "It's pretty crazy," Kluber said. "To go almost three weeks without losing a game is not something that you ever really expect." The Progressive Field crowd of 24,654, riveted by each pitch as though it was October, stood and roared when Kluber sprinted to the mound for the ninth. Second baseman Jose Ramirez made a sensational diving stop in short right field to throw out Ian Kinsler for the second out, and after allowing a double to Alex Presley, Kluber sealed win No. 20 -- and Cleveland's seventh shutout during the streak -- by getting Miguel Cabrera on an easy grounder to third. Fireworks exploded overhead and the Indians lined up single-file the same way they have for weeks to celebrate yet another win in this streak. "For sure, it's something special," Lindor said. "It's going to be there forever." Although they insist they're not focused on the streak, the Indians are playing as though they don't want it to end. They're now within reach of the Giants' revered 101-year-old mark, which includes a tie that interrupted 12- and 14-game unbeaten runs. However, the Elias Sports Bureau, the official statistical custodian for Major League Baseball, has always regarded the Giants' stretch as the gold standard because tie games were replayed from the start back then. Cleveland can equal the Cubs' 21-game run Wednesday afternoon.

The Indians and A's, whose unexpected run to the postseason 15 years ago was retold in the film "Moneyball" starring Brad Pitt, don't have much in common besides their 20-game streaks. Oakland was an overachieving squad loaded with pitching and a roster comprised of low-salaried players assembled by a front office that forced baseball to rethink how it evaluated talent. The Indians, on the other hand, have spent millions to get better, and have been expected to win. Maybe not at this amazing rate, but after getting to Game 7 in 2016, Cleveland was a favorite to return to the World Series. Closing in on their second consecutive AL Central title, the Indians figured to keep things going with Kluber on the mound, and the right-hander continued his own superb stretch. Kluber improved to 8-1 in his last nine starts and lowered his ERA to an AL-best 2.45 with his third shutout of the season and fifth complete game. He allowed a leadoff double in the first to Kinsler but stranded him at third by striking out Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos to end the inning. Cabrera came in batting .434 against Kluber but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. The Tigers have been beaten six times by the Indians during their streak. "In a way, it doesn't surprise me," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said of Cleveland's three-week dominance. "Because if any team could do it, it's them. They've got it all." While understanding the fascination with his team's roll, Indians manager Terry Francona has been downplaying the streak so as not to make it a distraction. He chooses his words carefully whether he's talking to reporters, family or friends. "I got one really good buddy, one of my best friends, but he's notoriously bad luck," Francona said. "Everybody kind of refers to him as like the gray cloud. He knows who he is, and you talk about superstitions, I will not talk to him. He is a text only. "Oh, yeah. He knows. It cost me one job, he's not getting in the way again." DYNAMIC DUO Lindor and Ramirez have carried the Indians throughout the streak. Not only is Cleveland's double-play combination making jaw-dropping plays in the field, they're the team's hottest hitters. Lindor is batting .359 (28-for-78) with 9 homers and 19 RBIs, while Ramirez is hitting .391 (25-for-64) with 8 homers and 14 RBIs. MILLER'S MOMENT Indians All-Star LHP Andrew Miller could be pitching again as early as Thursday. He has been on the disabled list with knee tendinitis, but after a successful simulated game Monday, one of the game's top relievers is ready to go. Francona said the team is weighing whether to activate Miller for the series opener against Kansas City or have him pitch another simulated game. TRAINER'S ROOM Indians: 2B Jason Kipnis is pushing to return Sunday after being sidelined since Aug. 23 with a strained hamstring. Kipnis will play center field as the club needs to add outfield depth after rookie Bradley Zimmer broke his left hand. Zimmer's fracture required a plate and nine screws in surgery. He will be re-examined in two weeks, but doctors have estimated he'll need two months to recover. Tigers: DH Victor Martinez underwent a heart ablation to correct an irregular heartbeat that caused the five-time All-Star to be hospitalized last month. The 38-year-old is expected to return next season. .... RHP Michael Fulmer had ulnar nerve transposition surgery in Pensacola, Florida. Last season's AL Rookie of the Year is expected to be ready for spring training. UP NEXT The Indians will go for No. 21 in a row Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. ET with RHP Mike Clevinger, who hasn't allowed a run in his past three outings, starting against Tigers RHP Buck Farmer. Is the Indians' winning streak already the greatest in MLB history? Probably A.J. Perez, USA TODAY Sports Published 4:02 p.m. ET Sept. 12, 2017 | Updated 10:12 p.m. ET Sept. 12, 2017 Honus Wagner scored the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lone run in the top of the eighth inning on Sept. 18, 1916, to put the asterisk on the New York Giants’ 26-game winning streak. A thunderstorm moved in and play was suspended for weather --- not darkness, as was often the case in those days since stadiums lacked lights --- and the 13th game in the streak ended in a 1-1 tie. And now the Giants' "record" winning streak has stood for 101 years.

The Cleveland Indians play in a decidedly different era: Integration, 30 major league teams, and in a home ballpark with a two-story sports bar and kids' clubhouse. They are on a 20-game winning streak and tied the modern American League record with a 2-0 victory Tuesday night over the Detroit Tigers. Moneyball hero rooting for 20 in a row: Hatteberg hopes Indians match '02 A's AL MV-Three: Altuve? Trout? Ramirez? Golden ticket: A's offer free admission to 2018 game And just how can the Indians' feat be contextualized, when their historic rivals span centuries in a game that's constantly evolving? “A lot of things have changed since some of the other streaks,” Matt Rothenberg, manager of the Giamatti Research Center at the Baseball Hall of Fame, told USA TODAY Sports. “Free agency, for one, has only came into baseball over the last 40 years. Teams were more consistent back then. There are just so many factors when you look at the 1916 Giants versus the 2017 Indians. There have been so many innovations in the game.” As the Indians shoot for 21, and at the risk of succumbing to recency bias, an examination of the streaks that preceded them: About that modern AL record The 2002 Oakland Athletics started their 20-game streak 4 1/2 games back and finished 3 1/2 games up on Sept. 4 in the standings en route to the AL West title. While the A's got stellar starting pitching in the streak - starters Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Cory Lidle and Aaron Harang accounted for the first 11 wins - they also feasted on a favorable schedule. The teams they dispatched had a combined season-ending record of 444-526 and only the Minnesota Twins finished the season with a winning record. Those other 20-game streaks The St. Louis Maroons started the season on a 20-game winning streak in 1884 in the lone season the Union Association existed before it shuttered operations. Fred Dunlap, who batted .412 that season, had the highest reported salary on the team per Baseball Reference: $3,600. The other team to go on a 20-game run --- also in 1884 --- was the Providence Grays. The Grays won the World Series that season, which came a year before the Rhode Island team folded. The longest streak didn’t matter The New York Giants' streak in 1916 - even if there was that tie - allowed the club to go from 14 games out to five games back in the NL standings. The Giants, however, finished fourth in the league and well out of a playoff spot in the eight-team NL. It was, indeed, the Dead Ball Era: Twelve home runs was enough for the Giants' Dave Robertson and Chicago Cubs' Cy Williams to share the league lead. “What stands out about most these teams is that despite the streaks, not all of them had great seasons,” Rothenberg said. “It’s really a mixed bag.” White Stockings/Cubs hit on 21 The Chicago White Stockings, the forerunner of the Chicago Cubs, went 67-17 in 1880, a season that included a 21-game winning streak. The White Stockings had 13 players on their roster; the league leader that season for home runs that season: six. The 1935 Cubs had a 21-game streak en route to the NL pennant, although they lost to Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Up until last year’s Cubs team that broke 108-year championship drought, the 1935 Cubs were the last to win 100 games in a season. As for the Indians... There's no telling where this run will finish, but already Terry Francona's crew has accomplished some outlandish things. The streak started by toppling likely Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale of the Red Sox. It included an 11-0 road trip, highlighted by a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium. And the Indians have outscored opponents 134-32 - yes, 102 runs - entering Wednesday's game. They have hit more home runs - 38 - than their pitchers have allowed runs - 32.

We won't know until it ends where this streak ranks purely on length. On merit, the Indians may already stand alone. Real or not? Kluber all but locked up Indians' 20th straight win by ninth pitch David Schoenfield To be honest, I thought the game was over on Corey Kluber's ninth pitch of the game. Ian Kinsler had led with a double and was sacrificed to third. Bunts are usually bad, but this one was somewhat defensible: As good as Kluber has been, the Detroit Tigers' best hope for a win over the Cleveland Indians very well might have been to scrape across a run and then hope for a shutout. Kluber's ninth pitch was a 3-2 fastball to Miguel Cabrera. It had good movement as it started outside and spun back toward the outside corner. Cabrera took it, but home-plate umpire Scott Barry rung him up. It was outside, but you don't win 20 games in a row without a few generous calls from the umpires. Cabrera shook his head and mouthed "wow" as he walked to the dugout. Then Nicholas Castellanos struck out, and the Tigers got only two runners as far as second base the rest of the night, both on two-out doubles. The Indians won 2-0, tying the 2002 A's with a 20-game win streak, the American League record. The best thing about this game was Kluber coming out for the exclamation point in the ninth inning. He had thrown 102 pitches, and I'm guessing most managers (maybe every manager?) would have gone to the closer there. Cody Allen didn't pitch Monday, though he did pitch Saturday and Sunday; still, Terry Francona trusted Kluber to finish it with an efficient inning. We hyperventilate these days when a pitcher reaches 100 pitches, but Kluber often gets stronger the deeper he goes. Heading into this game, he had allowed a .460 OPS the third time through the order, and on pitches 101 and beyond, batters had hit just .122 against him. He did give up a two-out double in the ninth, but then he retired Cabrera on a bouncer to third base on his 113th pitch of the game. After the game, Francona did admit that was going to be Kluber's final batter. So Kluber ends up with his fifth complete game and his third shutout this season, and he improves to 16-4 with a 2.44 ERA, making the Cy Young battle with Chris Sale even tighter. As always, Kluber didn't look any different than he does when he brushes his teeth in the morning: The amazing thing about this streak is how few of the games were ever in jeopardy. The Indians have thrown seven shutouts and have needed just three one-run victories. There was one game, however, that made the streak possible. Game No. 8 was the first game of a doubleheader against the Tigers on Friday, Sept. 1. The Tigers tied the game 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the eighth, but Jay Bruce hit a pinch-hit triple with one out in the ninth and scored on Francisco Lindor's base hit. Allen had allowed the game-tying hit in the eighth and came back out for the ninth. He gave up singles to James McCann, Jose Iglesias and, with two outs, Alex Presley. Pinch runner Andrew Romine advanced only to third, however, which brought up Cabrera. Francona replaced Allen with Joe Smith. Here's what happened: That's one inning that nobody cared much about at the time. If Cabrera's liner is a foot to the left or right, the streak is at zero instead of eight. Isn't baseball wonderful? ‘ Meisel’s Musings: The Indians are making history (lo ok awfully routine and mundane) by Zack Meisel CLEVELAND — Francisco Lindor spoke in a deep, early-morning baritone on Tuesday when he completed his first media obligation of the day. He seemed more awake and alert for his lunchtime radio interview as he downplayed the phenomenon of the Indians’ historic winning streak. When he arrived at his locker on Tuesday afternoon, he was greeted by a horde of reporters and cameras. They dispersed after a few questions and a different reporter nudged his way onto Lindor’s itinerary. “There’s more media in here every day,” reliever Dan Otero told The Athletic a few hours before the Indians matched the American League record with their 20th consecutive victory. That’s about the only day-to-day difference inside the confines of the home clubhouse at Progressive Field. The players themselves haven’t altered any routines or widened their eyes at this ongoing feat. As cliche as it is, they remain fixated on the one-day-at-a-time approach, a direct message from the manager. That manager, by the way, refuses to entertain any temptation to marvel at the streak. He remains even-keeled, unwavering. And he still won’t answer his one friend’s calls. Francona might not indulge in the spectacle of a 20-game winning streak, but superstition still counts for something. “I have one really good buddy, one of my best friends,” Francona said. “But he’s notoriously bad luck. Everybody refers to him as the gray cloud. He knows who he is and you talk about superstitions — I will not talk to him. He is a text-only (guy). Oh, yeah. He knows. It cost me one job. He’s not getting in the way again.” Here are a few thoughts on the Tribe.

1. Pinch yourself: Does it feel as if you’re witnessing history? The Indians have made the process so routine, so automatic, so expected. They were such a heavy favorite at the sports books on Tuesday that it would have required a $500 wager on the Tribe to win $100. Those sort of odds simply don’t surface in the MLB gambling world. Longest winning streaks, last 100 years 21 games: 1935 Cubs 20 games: 2002 Athletics, 2017 Indians The A’s captured triumph No. 20 in dramatic fashion. They relinquished an 11-0 lead, only to win 12-11 on a Scott Hatteberg pinch-hit walk-off homer. The Indians didn’t encounter much drama on Tuesday until Miguel Cabrera entered the batter’s box representing the tying run with two outs in the top of the ninth. Corey Kluber extinguished the threat, sealed the shutout and passed the baton to Mike Clevinger, who will start for the Tribe on Wednesday afternoon. 2. Not even close: The Indians have completed 180 innings during their winning streak. They have trailed in four of them. Nothing more can be said; that fact is stupefying. 3. Get ‘er going: It’s certainly easier to play from ahead when your leadoff hitter has belted 30 home runs by mid-September. Lindor provided the Indians with a 1-0 lead minutes after the game’s opening pitch. Tribe teammates with 30+ HR, since 2000 2017: Francisco Lindor, Edwin Incarnation 2016: Mike Napoli, Carlos Santana 2002: Jim Thome, Ellis Burks 2001: Jim Thome, Juan Gonzalez 2000: Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez *Jay Bruce has 33 homers this season, but only four as a member of the Indians. Sorry, Jay. “We’ve got one of the best leadoff guys in the game,” said Tribe catcher Yan Gomes. “I don’t think on most teams he’d be hitting leadoff. But he’s a tremendous player.” By the way, Lindor still refutes the notion that he’s a power hitter. “When I hit 50, then you can call me a power hitter,” he said. “But it won’t happen.” 4. Goose eggs: The Indians have recorded seven shutouts during their winning streak. Fourteen major-league teams have recorded fewer than seven shutouts this season. In fact, the Tigers and the White Sox have combined for six shutouts all season. The Tribe pitching staff has totaled 19 shutouts this year, five more than any other club in the majors. 5. Story time: Francona offered a humorous tale about a near-encounter with Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue on his way to the ballpark on Sunday morning. The manager’s own words: “I went to get on the hog (his scooter) and I kind of lost my balance and I started to fall into the bushes, and I looked over there and Tyronn Lue was over there. And I was going to go say hello to him, but I was so embarrassed that I just got on and took off across the street. I bet you he saw it and (said), ‘What an idiot.’” Corey Kluber goes the distance, Francisco Lindor go es yard as Cleveland Indians beat Tigers for 20th s traight win

By Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Moneyball A's of Billy Beane and Paul DePodesta have company. Introducing the 2017 Cleveland Indians.

The Indians beat Oakland 2-0 on Tuesday night at Progressive Field to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 20 games. It ties the A's 20-game winning streak in 2002 for the longest in AL history and the third longest in history.

The 1935 Cubs hold the longest streak of wins in consecutive games at 21. The 1916 New York Giants had an unbeaten streak of 27 games, but that included a tie. Baseball views the Giants' winning streak of 26 games as the longest in history.

Corey Kluber threw a five-hitter for his fifth complete game of the season and sixth career shutout. Francisco Lindor's leadoff homer in the first and Carlos Santana's slide home on a Detroit wild pitch in the sixth produced the needed runs. Kluber (16-4, 2.44) is 8-1 in his last nine starts.

The win dropped the Indians magic number to clinch the AL Central to five games. They hold two game lead over Houston for homefield advantage in the postseaon.

When told the Indians have played nearly three weeks of baseball without losing a game, Lindor said, "You just put that in my head. That's cool."

Indians win 20 in a row (and counting)

Lindor's homer off Matthew Boyd (5-10, 5.75) was his 30th of the season. He hit a 2-2 pitch into the left field bleachers to become just the third switch-hitting shortstop, according to mlb.com, to hit 30 homers in one season. Jimmy Rollins (2007) and Jose Valentin (2004) were the others.

"I'm not a home-run hitter," insisted Lindor. When asked when he would be considered a home-run hitter Lindor said, "When I hit 50."

Boyd, after allowing Lindor's homer, stopped an Indians offense that entered Tuesday having outscored their opponents, 132-32, during the first 19 games of the streak. The Indians, however, worked Boyd for a career-high 116 pitches and he was done after five innings.

Terry Francona on Corey Kluber's outing vs. Detroit

The Indians made it 2-0 in the sixth. Santana opened the inning with a double off Blaine Hardy. Jay Bruce advanced him to third with a grounder to first. After Yandy Diaz struck out and pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia was intentionally walked, right-hander Drew VerHagen threw a wild pitch to Yan Gomes that scored Santana.

Kluber gave up a leadoff double to Ian Kinsler to start the game. It might have been his only tight spot of the night.

Kinsler moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but Kluber struck out Miguel Cabrera and Nick Castellanos. Kluber retired 10 straight after Kinsler's double before Castellanos doubled with two out in the fourth. Once again Kluber responded by retiring eight straight before Castellanos singled with one out in the seventh.

That's pretty much how it went for the rest of the night.

"That's the cool thing that you see from Kluber," said Gomes. "It's not like he tries to cruise through. an inning, but whenever he gets in trouble he amps it up big time.

"It's one of those things. He knows how to get himself out of trouble. It plays big in a lot of games. When he does, it just turns it on."

Kluber was backed by some stellar defense. Lindor robbed Bryan Holaday with a stop, spin and throw from the outfield grass behind second in the fifth. In the ninth, second baseman Jose Ramirez ranged far to his right and 15 feet into the right-field grass to grab a hot shot by Kinsler. His throw to first was just in time.

Alex Presley pressured Kluber with a two-out double in the ninth, but he retired Cabrera on a grounder to third to end it.

Kluber struck out eight and didn't walk a batter. Boyd allowed one run on six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked one.

During the streak the rotation is 18-0 with a 1.93 ERA. Four of those wins belong to Kluber.

"It's been fun," said Kluber. "I'd describe it as more trying to feed off each other instead of sometimes guys saying it's a friendly competition. I don't think it's that. I think it's trying to build off the momentum we have going.

"We didn't get off to the best start as a rotation this year, but we've been able to work our way into a groove and hopefully we can maintain it."

What it means

The Indians have thrown 19 shutouts this season to lead the big leagues. It is the most by an Indians staff since they had 23 in 1968.

The pitches

Kluber threw 113 pitches, 77 (68 percent) for strikes. Boyd threw 116 pitches, 75 (65 percent) for strikes. The 116 pitches were a career high for Boyd.

Thanks for coming

The Tigers and Indians drew 24,654 fans to Progressive Field on Tuesday night. First pitch was at 7:11 p.m. with a temperature of 70 degrees.

The Indians sold an estimated 4,500 walk-up tickets on Tuesday in anticipation of the game.

Next

Right-hander Mike Clevinger (9-5, 3.30) will face right-hander Buck Farmer (4-2, 6.32) in the last game of the season series between the Indians and Tigers. First pitch is at 12:10 p.m. with SportsTime Ohio, WTAM/1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 carrying the game.

Clevinger has not allowed a run in his last three starts covering 18 innings. He is 3-0 with a 0.50 ERA against Detroit this season.

Cleveland Plain Dealer LOADED: 09.13.2017

Cleveland Indians' magic number falls to 5 as Corey Kluber downs Detroit

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians trimmed their magic number to clinch the American League Central Division to 5 on Tuesday by beating Detroit, 2-0.

Francisco Lindor delivered a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning and Carlos Santana scored on a wild pitch in the sixth. Starting pitcher Corey Kluber made those runs stand up, pitching a complete-game shutout for his 16th win of the season.

Cleveland's 20th straight victory tied the 2002 Oakland Athletics for the third-longest winning streak in major league history since 1900.

Second-place Minnesota (74-69) was leading San Diego at Target Field.

Cleveland's lead in the division over the Twins stands at 14 games with 17 remaining. The Tribe also moved 2 games ahead of Houston for the best overall record in the American League at 89-56. The Astros played the Angels in Anaheim later Tuesday night.

Any combination of Indians wins plus losses by the second-place Twins that is greater than or equal to 5 will clinch the division title for Cleveland.

To generate the magic number, take the number of games remaining for the first-place team (17 entering Wednesday for the Indians), add one and then subtract the difference in losses between the first- and second-place teams. The result is 5, (18-13=5).


Cleveland Indians have spot start up for grabs and 4 other points of interest

Posted September 12, 2017

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So what does the immediate future hold for extra starters Danny Salazar and Ryan Merritt?

Well, it sounds like one of them is going to get a spot start. It’s not exactly clear when that will be, but since the Indians started Tuesday with only 18 regular season games left to play, it should be coming soon.

“We talked about it today a little bit,” said manager Terry Francona. “We have a couple of days coming up that we’re going to give some guys (starting pitchers) an extra day, so we would have a day where we need a starter.

“So depending on how we get there, it would either be Salazar or Merritt. Some of that depends on how we get there – if we use him (Salazar) in a game or a simulated game. So we’ll get to that.”

Salazar has made two appearances since coming off the disabled list. He started against the White Sox on Sept. 5, but lasted just two thirds of an inning and allowed four runs.

In Monday’s 11-0 win over the Tigers, Salazar pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Merritt has not pitched since he beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 30. The left-hander allowed one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Yandy Diaz has played a solid third base and swung the bat well for the Indians since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on Aug. 22.

Yandy Diaz making getting used to the big leagues

Yandy Diaz is starting to settle into the big leagues. For a long time the Indians didn’t know exactly what they had in him.

They liked his bat, but they were looking for a little more pop. Defensively, they weren’t sure if he was a third baseman, second baseman or outfielder.

Diaz, since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on Aug. 22, is hitting .339 (19-for-56) with five doubles and eight RBI in 14 games. He’s played mostly third base and he’s played it well.

“As the games go by, and I play more, I’m starting to feel more confident,” said Diaz, through interpreter Anna Bolton.

Diaz opened the season as the Indians' third baseman, but was optioned to Columbus on April 21. He spent his time with the Clippers working on his defense and trying to get more elevation in his swing so he could drive the ball.

The Indians have seen flashes of that since his return.

“I think a sense of belonging has helped his hitting,” said Francona. “He’s going up there taking, at times, some pretty ferocious swings. I still think after another 500 to 700 at-bats his better hitting is in front of him.

“But he’s a good hitter. His defense is really improving, but I think he understands now that he’s got 100 or so at-bats in the big leagues than he can do this.”

Francona said he considers Diaz a third baseman.

Andrew Miller eager to pitch

Left-hander Andrew Miller, looking for the rush of adrenaline that comes when he takes the mound, says he’d like to pitch as much as possible in what little time the Indians have left in the regular season. First, however, he has be turned loose from the disabled list.

Miller threw a simulated game on Monday. Francona said he’ll be activated on Thursday or throw another sim game.

“I feel good,” said Miller. “I’m ready to go. I’ve done a lot of throwing this time, which is nice. I think the volume has been a lot higher. We tackled it from a little different angle this time around and I think that will pay off.”

Miller made two trips to the disabled list in August with patella tendinitis in his right knee.

“I want to get into some games just for the sake of feeling that type of adrenaline and work on stuff,” he said. “I need to feel that level of excitement in a sense. “

Miller said he’d love to pitch sometime during this homestand.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox, August 23, 2017

It's hard to argue with manager Terry Francona's one-game-at-a-time approach. It certainly hasn't hurt the Indians this year.

Tito's mantra

Every day during the Tribe’s winning streak, Francona has been asked a question trying to get him to react to it. And every day he gives an answer similar to this:

“I’m going to say it one more time: We’re really thing to win the game tonight,” said Francona. “I think if you do that, and you do it well enough, you’re going to look up at the end of you’re going to be where you deserve to be.

“No matter how much I say, ‘We’re doing this or that,' if you’re looking two weeks ahead, you end up missing what’s right in front of you. Our guys have done a real good job of just staying in the moment and playing the game.”

Francona did admit to reporters that he was aware of the streak. But he added, "I can promise you it hasn't been on my mind."

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

Statistically speaking

Five statistics that may interest you as the Indians enter their 145th game of the season on Tuesday night.

No. 1: Remember when the Indians couldn't win at home? They entered Tuesday's game having won eight straight home games 19 of their last 24.

No. 2: The Indians have the highest run differential in the big leagues at +218. The Dodgers are second at +166.

No. 3: The Indians have started September with a 12-0 record. It's their best start to any month in club history.

No. 4: Edwin Encarnacion is hitting .341 (14-for-41) with three homers and 10 RBI in September.

No. 5: Mike Clevinger is 2-0 and has not allowed a run in 12 innings in September.


ESPN's Pedro Gomez: Indians could be 'juggernaut' he ading toward 'unprecedented October'


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- ESPN's Pedro Gomez followed the 2002 Oakland A's during their 20-game winning streak, and says it's hard to remember any other team catch fire the way this year's Cleveland Indians ball club has.

The veteran baseball reporter joined the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast from the Tribe dugout at Progressive Field prior to Tuesday's matchup with the Detroit Tigers to discuss Cleveland's chances heading toward the postseason.

"Juggernaut," Gomez said. "You could have an unprecedented October here in Cleveland."

Gomez also compared the 2017 Indians to the franchise's championship clubs of the mid-1990s. He gave his take on what Cleveland's winning streak has meant to Corey Kluber's chances at winning the Cy Young Award, and weighed in on Jose Ramirez's career trajectory (it's pointing north).

Listen to the full interview below and then give your thoughts in the comments section.


Indians manager Terry Francona nearly wiped out on h is scooter after noticing Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lu e


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona has helped the Cleveland Indians strike the perfect balance on offense and defense during the team's current 19-game winning streak, but finding his own balance was a bit more challenging on Sunday.

Francona told reporters prior to Tuesday's Indians vs. Tigers game at Progressive Field that he nearly wiped out into the bushes near his West 6th Street apartment on Sunday when he was getting on his motorized scooter to head toward the park around 11 a.m.

And he did so right in front of Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue.

"I really wanted to say hi to him," Francona said of noticing Lue among a group of Browns fans gathered for pregame tailgating festivities. "I was so embarrassed that I just got on and took off across the street."

Francona, however flustered, sped away unscathed and reached the ballpark where he guided the Indians to a 3-2 win against Baltimore on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.


Cleveland Indians' Bradley Zimmer to miss '6 to 8 week s' after undergoing surgery on left hand

By Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona said rookie center fielder Bradley Zimmer will miss "six to eight' weeks after undergoing surgery on Tuesday morning in New York to correct a broken bone in his left hand.

Dr. Thomas Graham, noted hand specialist performed an internal fixation of Zimmer's fourth metacarpal. A metal plate with nine screws was inserted to help heal the broken bone.

Zimmer was injured making a headfirst slide into first base Sunday night against the Orioles at Progressive Field.

"In two weeks he'll be re-examined," said Francona before Tuesday night's game against Detroit. "Then the doctor will say what he can do next. The time table the doctor put on him returning to play was six to eight weeks."

Francona pointed to the broken hand catcher Yan Gomes suffered in September during a rehab assignment. It was supposed to end his season, but he returned in late September and appeared in the postseason.

"In two weeks he'll get looked at and we'll see what he's able to do," said Francona. "We'll let him do as much as he can and see where it goes.

"Last year Gomer (Gomes) was supposedly done for the year and he played. We just want to get him better."

Zimmer is hitting .241 (72-for-299) with eight homers and 39 RBI. He led the team with 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts.


Cleveland Indians' Terry Francona says Andrew Mille r, Jason Kipnis close to playing

By Paul Hoynes,

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manager Terry Francona said left-hander Andrew Miller and second baseman Jason Kipnis are close to being activated.

Francona said Miller will pitch a "real or simulated game' on Thursday. The Royals open a three-game series against the Tribe on Thursday at Progressive Field. Miller, recovering from tendinitis in his right knee, threw a simulated game on Monday.

Asked on Tuesday how Miller recovered from the simulated game, Francona said, "He felt really good. The next step will be Thursday. We need to work through whether it's a real game or a sim game.

"We just need some time to get Andrew, Mickey (Callaway, pitching coach) and the medical guys together later today. Or maybe even tomorrow. But it will be Thursday and those are the two choices."

Miller said he'd like to pitch in some big leagues before the end of this homestand. The homestand ends Sunday.

Kipnis, according to Francona, wants to play against the Royals on Sunday. Francona said the trainers are suggesting Kipnis could play Tuesday when the Indians open a six-game trip with a three-game series against the Angels at Angel Stadium.

Whether or not Kipnis, recovering from a strained right hamstring, would return at second base or center field remains to be seen.

"He's pushing to play Sunday. I think the trainers are looking at Tuesday," said Frsancona. "Maybe we'll split the difference and let him come in here Monday on the off day. I'm sure he'd like that."Anyway that's sort of a general timetable."The Indians talked to Kipnis about moving from second base to center after losing rookie Bradley Zimmer to a broken left hand on Sunday against Baltimore. The Indians drafted Kipnis as a center fielder in 2009 out of Arizona State before converting him to a second baseman in 2010."It's been going very well," said Francona, of Kipnis' return to the outfield. "He's out there again today. . .I wouldn't be surprised if he goes out there and does just fine. That's how I look at it."


10 things that haven't lasted as long as the Indian s' win streak (and one that felt longer) -- Bud Sha w

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The remarkable Indians haven’t lost since Aug. 23. I feel the need to add that’s Aug. 23, 2017.

It seems longer than 19 days, frankly.

Their amazing win streak puts them on the cusp of tying the expansion-era record established by the “Moneyball” Oakland A’s in 2002. One more win tonight with Corey Kluber on the mound would give the Indians their 20th consecutive victory, tying those A’s.

The "modern-day" record for a winning streak is 21 games set by the 1935 Chicago Cubs.

The Indians' incredible run has lasted longer than some full-blown wars, longer than at least one Papal reign, longer than countless Broadway shows and even one rather well-known political hire in the news recently.

Here’s a short list:

By Bud Shaw, cleveland.com

Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director

Lasted 11 days. Done in after a salacious New Yorker interview.

Would’ve been better off talking to Andre Knott.

Connection to baseball: None. But "The Mooch" would’ve looked great in an Indians jersey for player’s nickname weekend.

Bill Belichick's tenure as New York Jets head coach

Belichick wrote on a napkin he was quitting as “HC of the NYJ” after a single day in 2000.

Lasted about as long as it takes to hand in a lineup card, with less chit-chat.

The gestation period of an opossum

Lasts anywhere from 13-15 days. Their life expectancy is 2 to 4 years. Or twice the contention expectancy of an A’s Moneyball team.

Next up for the Indians: The A’s record of 20 wins; Gerbils 23-26 days.

Ben Johnson's gold medal victory in Seoul

The Canadian sprinter ran a world-record 9.79 100 meters in 1988.

"I'd like to say my name is Benjamin Sinclair Johnson Jr., and this world record will last 50 years, maybe 100," he told the media.

"A gold medal -- that's something no one can take away from you," he said later.

One day later, he was stripped of his medal for using steroids. Fast as he was, Yan Gomes would still gun him down trying to steal second.

Jason Alexander and Britney Spears

Married in 2004 after a night of partying in Vegas, they sought an annulment 55 hours later. Good luck to Chicago’s Avisail Garcia, who is trying to get his strikeout against Trevor Bauer annulled on the basis that he didn’t throw him all fastballs.

The reign of Pope Urban VII

Elected in 1590, his reign ended when he died after just 13 days. He passed one law prohibiting smoking in public places. Non-smoking sports fans offer a belated thank you for being ahead of his time.

The ABC sitcom "Hank."

You'd expect something starring Kelsey Grammer to last a while. But it was canceled after five episodes back in 2007.

Grammer admitted to calling Warner Bros. and asking they halt production immediately. The White Sox won’t admit they made the same plea to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred at the All-Star break.

The Broadway play "Carrie"

Such a successful movie was expected to work on stage.

According to the ticketnetwork blog, "Carrie" was one of the most expensive theatrical disasters of all time. It carried a $8 million price tag in the 1980s and lasted just five nights before investors pulled the plug.

Second-best revenge scene behind Albert Belle vs. Kevin Kennedy.

George O'Leary's tenure at Notre Dame

Such a proud institution doesn't hire football coaches willy nilly. But O'Leary spent just four days as Fighting Irish head coach in 2001.

Those four days turned out to be the most memorable of his work history, which might not be saying much since he forgot he padded his resume and ended up paying for it when the discrepancies were made public.

It wasn’t quite the same as if Brock Osweiler listed “Browns starting quarterback” on his resume, but close.

Six-Day War

If you're stumped by the question, "How long did the Six-Day War last?" read on:

The conflict pitting Israel against Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq ended quickly in 1967. In an attempt to provide context, historians like to say it lasted one day longer than a Mike Hargrove at-bat.

Carl Lewis' "Star Spangled Banner" rendition

I include this only because there seems to be some difference of opinion. The actual "performance" lasted only a few minutes.

But the people who were there in the New Jersey Meadowlands that day in 1993 swear it lasted two weeks.


Cleveland Indians: The unselfish, drama-free team -- Terry Pluto

By Terry Pluto

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The drama-free team.

That's the Cleveland Indians. Not just this season during their 19-game winning streak.

When was the last time any member of the Indians has been in serious trouble? Or when was the last time someone with the Tribe demanded to be traded or came across as a real jerk?

The credit goes to Chris Antonetti's front office for being careful about the people it brings to Cleveland. And it goes to Terry Francona, the manager who should have a PhD in communications and psychology.

Francona has the trust of his players, and they buy into what he teaches and preaches in terms of "being a good teammate."

Which brings us to Jason Kipnis. To be specific, Jason Kipnis in center field.

The willingness of Kipnis to make a position switch in September is part of what has made the Tribe a very special team for several years. Kipnis could say, "Hey, I made the All-Star team twice (2013, 2015) as a second baseman. Let someone else play center."

Instead, at the age of 30 and battling hamstring injuries for much of the season, Kipnis has several reasons for not wanting to make a position switch. But he began thinking about playing center field not long after Bradley Zimmer suffered a broken hand on Sunday. Zimmer will have surgery and is probably done for the season. The Indians just lost their best defensive center fielder.

Francona sat down for a talk with Kipnis. Even before the conversation, Kipnis sensed Francona was going to suggest a position change -- at least for right now.

Kipnis was an All-American center fielder at Arizona State when he was drafted in the second round by the Tribe in 2009. He moved to second base in 2010 in the minors. The Tribe thought it would be a faster road to the big leagues. That turned out to be the case. By 2011, Kipnis was playing in Cleveland.

While Kipnis has been injured, Jose Ramirez has played a brilliant second base after shifting from third. Taking over at the hot corner has been rookie Yandy Diaz, who is crushing the ball after batting .350 at Class AAA Columbus this season.

The Tribe also is playing Gio Urshela at third, and he's an elite glove man.

"I do have pride," Kipnis told the media Monday. "The competitor in me thinks if I'm healthy and playing we're not even having this conversation. But you adjust according to how the year has gone ... injuries and everything. You just try to fill in where you can."

TRUE TEAM PLAYERS

Kipnis is the just the latest player to make a dramatic position change at the big league level -- assuming it works out.

Ramirez was mostly a second baseman in the minors. He came to Cleveland as a shortstop in 2014. He became a utility infielder in 2015, but still mostly played second and shortstop.

Ramirez played third base and left field in 2016. In his minor-league career, Ramirez never played the outfield. He played only 12 games at third.

Carlos Santana came to the Indians as a catcher in 2010. In 2011, Santana began to split time between catching and first base. He'd never played first base in the minors.

After the 2013 season, Santana's catching days were over due to concussions. He was a first baseman. Guess who was the Tribe's opening day third baseman in 2014? Santana.

In the 2016 World Series, Santana offered to play the outfield to help. He has done the same thing for seven games this season.

Lonnie Chisenhall came to the big leagues as a third baseman in 2011, then moved to right field in 2015. He played some center in 2017, along with left.

THE CULTURE

Relievers Cody Allen and Andrew Miller both have been willing to sacrifice save totals to help the team and bolster the bullpen.

In the last few years, we've seen starters such as Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer go to bullpen when they were struggling -- and then work their way back into the rotation.

Now, there's Kipnis. A year ago, he hit .275 (.811 OPS) with career highs in homers (23) and RBI (82). It was an All-Star performance, even if he wasn't named to the team.

Kipnis has played only 79 games this season, batting .228 (.695 OPS) with 11 HR and 30 RBI. He has been on the disabled list three times.

It's been frustrating. But in this Tribe culture, a player does what he can to help the team ... period.

"I think I've got a lot of good baseball in me, in the infield or outfield," Kipnis said.

Or as Francona told the media, "The fact he's willing to try it is really meaningful to us."


By the numbers: Indians match A’s 20-game win streak b y offering healthy dose of Corey Kluber by T.J. Zuppe CLEVELAND — Terry Francona had made up his mind. Regardless of what happened in the top of the ninth inning, Miguel Cabrera was going to be the final hitter Corey Kluber would face Tuesday night. And if the Tigers slugger had reached base? “I was probably going to send Mickey (Callaway) out to get him,” Francona joked. As it turns out, that wasn't necessary. Kluber retired Cabrera on a groundout to third, the final out of his third complete-game shutout of the season, and the Indians topped the Tigers on Tuesday night, 2-0, extending their winning streak to an astonishing 20 games, matching the A's mark of 2002. Next up, the Cubs' stretch of 21 consecutive wins in 1935. So, how did the Tribe celebrate? Champagne? A dance party? Synchronized jumping? Nah. Much like every night during their recent dominance, Everyday We Lit played loudly on the clubhouse speakers to signify the victory. And that's about as lit as things get. Last year's 14-game streak and the club's larger goals appear to have fed into their nonchalance about the historic run. “I don’t want to dumb it down, but we went through something similar to this just last season,” Kluber said. “So we’ve got a little bit of that experience as well. To me, last year we embraced the winning streak more than we are this time. This time I think we’re just going about our business.” Kluber's words were just an extension of his manager, who has continued to stress how little he thinks about the streak. In fact, it appears the only time it crosses his mind is when reporters pepper him with questions before and after every win. “I don’t look at it like everything is on the line,” Francona said. “We just showed up to win. I thought tonight was a fun game to be a part of.”

Let's take a look at some more of the silly numbers behind their AL record-tying 20th consecutive win. 81.6 percent: That's Corey Kluber's strand rate this season, the fifth-highest LOB rate in baseball. He used his ability to leave a runner helplessly stranded in the top of the first, yielding a leadoff double to Ian Kinsler before leaving him at third base at the end of the inning. Why is that notable? Well, sometimes, a high strand rate, among many things, can be a potential warning sign of regression ahead. An uncommonly high or low one can sometimes reveal a sequencing issue, but that's not really what Kluber's percentage indicates. Sometimes good pitchers are just good. While his current percentage is certainly higher than his career 74.4 percent rate, his fielding independent numbers (FIP) weren't drastically different across the board entering the game Tuesday. Bases empty: 2.70 FIP, 2.50 xFIP Men on base: 2.40 FIP, 2.48 xFIP Men in scoring: 2.66 FIP, 3.26 xFIP It's also worth noting his lowest percentage of hard contact this year has come with runners in scoring position. That has made up for a few less strikeouts and a few more walks in those spots. At the end of the day, Kluber is fantastic in any situation. “That’s the cool thing that you kind of see from Kluber, man,” catcher Yan Gomes said. “It’s not like he tries to cruise through an inning or something like that. But whenever he gets in trouble, he amps it up big time. It’s one of those things, man, he knows how to get himself out of a trouble. It comes up big in a lot of his games. He doesn’t quite get in trouble as much, but when he does, he turns it on and you get out of an inning unscathed.” 1.71: That's the Indians rotation ERA in the past 20 games. Keep in mind, Kluber's ERA since returning from the DL on June 1 is 1.77. So, essentially, the Tribe's starting pitchers in the past 20 games have all pitched as dominant as their ace, a clear Cy Young candidate. Overall, the staff has recorded seven shutouts during the streak. That's pure madness. “It’s been unbelievable,” Gomes said. “(Roberto Perez) and I have even said it. It makes our job really easy, man. It makes us look good, actually. They set the tone early. We’ve talked about to win some ballgames, we’re going to need that staff. They’re feeding off each other right now and it’s going. I’m pretty sure every single one of them is champing at the bit every start just to give us a chance to win a ballgame.” 30: Francisco Lindor's leadoff homer gave the Indians a 1-0 advantage (imagine that) and increased his season home run total to 30. Not bad for a guy who has dismissed any notion of being a power hitter. After the game, the normal crowd surrounded Lindor's locker. Inevitably, he was asked: If not after 30 home runs, when could people start calling him a power guy? “When I hit 50, then you can call me a power hitter,” the shortstop said. “But it won't happen.” Won't happen, like the way they had no chance to win 20 games in a row, hmm? OK, fair. Lindor is on pace for 34 homers this season. Smacking another 20 in the final three weeks would really be, uhhh, you know, sort of impressive. But crushing 30 bombs in a season has to mean something, right? I mean, Jose Valentin (2004) and Jimmy Rollins (2007) were the only switch-hitting shortstops to ever do it prior to Lindor. He's also the first shortstop to reach the 30-homer mark since 2011. “I haven't really thought about it,” Lindor said. “It's something special because I helped the team win today. It's just cool. It's cool. It's a blessing. I'm honored and it's a blessing to be healthy and to be able to help your team win every day.” If there's one thing we've asked Francona about more than their current winning streak, it's his thoughts on Lindor's blossoming power. Relieved to take a 30-second rest from the seemingly endless streak questions, he entertained the old classic. “Remember when you guys would ask me (about his power)? And I’d say, ‘We don’t know, but it’s going to be fun to watch.’ It has been,” Francona said. “He’s growing into a guy that is able to use the whole ballpark and hit for average, but also drive the ball out of the ballpark and play the defense. You’d never quite know, but it sure is fun to watch him.” .377: That's Yandy Diaz's batting average during the 20-game winning streak. His season on-base percentage has risen 109 points since his promotion, climbing from .268 in late August to its current rate of .377.

Diaz went 1-for-3 in the game Tuesday night. He's played so much and hit so well, in fact, it really wouldn't be that much of a surprise to see him make the postseason roster. Of course, they're still weeks away from making any sort of definitive decisions, but Jason Kipnis' potential move to the outfield could open the door for Diaz's continued playing time. “I think a sense of belonging has helped his hitting,” Francona said. “He’s going up there taking, at times, some pretty ferocious swings. His better hitting is in front of him, but he’s a good hitter. His defense is really improving, which is good. But I think he understands now, he’s got 100 at-bats or so, he can do this.” Speaking of Kipnis, he continues to shag fly balls during batting practice, and by all indications, the first two days of the possible center-field experiment have been productive. Saying that, there's a big difference between running down balls in BP and playing center field in a game situation. Our first look at Kipnis in the outfield could come as soon as Sunday, the day he has targeted to return. The club's training staff, though, feels better about Tuesday. We'll see who wins that debate. “Maybe we’ll split the difference and let him come in here Monday on the off day,” Francona joked. “I’m sure he’ll like that.” SPORTS Indians notes: Next step for Miller could be activation from disabled list Chris Assenheimer ByChris Assenheimer | The Chronicle-TelegramPublished on Sept. 12, 2017 | Updated 6:21 a. m. CLEVELAND -- Left-hander Andrew Miller (patellar tendinitis right knee) threw a simulated game Monday at Progressive Field. According to manager Terry Francona, the next step will take place Thursday and it could include Miller’s activation from the disabled list. “We need to work through whether it’s in a real game or a sim game,” Francona said. “We just need some time to get Andrew, (pitching coach) Mickey (Callaway), myself, the medical guys together later today or maybe even (Wednesday) ‘cause we want to see how he bounces back (from Monday’s simulated game), but it will be Thursday, and those are the two choices.” Miller is in the midst of his second stint on the injured list with the injury. His first comeback attempt ended after two appearances toward the end of August. Status report Rookie center fielder Bradley Zimmer underwent surgery to repair a broken bone in his left hand Tuesday in New York. Francona said Zimmer would be re-examined in two weeks, but wouldn’t confirm that the outfielder’s season is over despite a report Monday that said that was the case. “The timetable (doctors) put on return-to-play was like 6-8 weeks, but rather than just ... in two weeks we’ll let him get looked at it, see what he’s able to do and let him do as much as he can and see where it goes,” Francona said. “I mean last year (catcher Yan Gomes) was supposedly done for the year and he played, so rather than ... we just want to get him better.” Put me in, coach Jason Kipnis’ first appearance in center field could come as early as Sunday. Kipnis, who is on the disabled list for the second time with a right hamstring strain, has worked out in center the past two days and will continue through at least Saturday. “He’s pushing to play Sunday. I think the trainers are maybe looking at Tuesday,” Francona said of Kipnis. “That’s sort of a general timetable. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes out (in center field) and does just fine. That’s kind of how I feel about it.” Old job Though he currently resides in the bullpen, Francona said right-hander Danny Salazar is a candidate to make a spot start before the season is complete. “We have a couple of days coming up that we’re going to give some (starting pitchers) an extra day, so we would have a day where we need a starter,” Francona said. “So depending on how we get there, it would either be he or (left-hander Ryan) Merritt. So some of that depends on how we get there. If we use him in a game, if we do a sim game, so we’ll get to it.” Salazar, an All-Star starter this year, made his first appearance Monday since being sent to the bullpen, working two scoreless innings. Mark it down Major League Baseball released the 2018 schedule Tuesday, with the Indians set to open the season March 29 in Seattle, while hosting the Royals in the Home Opener, April 6.

The first homestand will be 10 games long and will be followed by a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for a two-game series against the Twins (April 17-18). Cleveland’s interleague opponents include National League Central Division opponents, the Cubs, Pirates, Reds, Brewers and Cardinals. Roundin’ third The Indians entered Tuesday owning the largest run differential in the majors (plus-218), over 50 higher than the Dodgers, who own baseball’s best record. ... Since July 21, right-hander Trevor Bauer is 9-0 (in 10 starts) with a 2.53 ERA, 72 strikeouts and 19 walks, leading the majors in wins and ranking sixth in strikeouts over the span. ... Today, 12:10, STO; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM. Clevinger (9-5, 3.30) vs. Farmer (4-2, 6.32). SPORTS Indians 2, Tigers 0: Tribe extends win strea k to 20 games, matching longest in AL history Chris Assenheimer ByChris Assenheimer | The Chronicle -TelegramPublished on Sept. 12, 2017 | Updated 6:49 a. m. CLEVELAND -- Winning 20 straight major league baseball games is nearly impossible. Not for the Indians. Cleveland continued its remarkable march toward history Tuesday night at Progressive Field, blanking the Tigers 2-0 to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 20 games. The 20-game streak is tied for the American League’s longest ever, matching Oakland (2002) for the longest in MLB’s expansion era (since 1961). It is one shy of the second-longest streak in baseball history -- by the Chicago Cubs in 1935 -- and six shy of the official longest winning streak of 26, which included a tie, set by the New York Giants in 1916. And as has been the case for much of the successful stretch, the Indians could care less. “We haven’t talked about it all,” Cleveland’s ace Corey Kluber said of the win streak. “I haven’t heard anybody in (the clubhouse) talking about how many games in a row we’ve won. We’re aware of it just because of the attention it gets, but it’s not something we’re focusing on. It’s more coming to the field each day and preparing to win a game. (The approach has) worked, so that’s obviously the biggest reason why we’re able to do it. We see the results from it, but I think it’s kind of preached to us from Day 1. It’s a lot easier to buy into when you see the results.” “It’s cool, yeah, for sure. For sure, it’s something special,” shortstop Francisco Lindor said of the streak. “It’s going to be there forever. However, am I focused on it? Not really. Are we focusing on it around here? Not really. You don’t see guys talking about it. You don’t see guys sitting in the lunch room, saying, ‘Oh, my God, we have a chance of winning 20. We have a chance of winning 21.’ We’ve just been enjoying the ride, understanding that we’re on a high right now and having fun. We’ll see what happens.” The win was far from a surprising one for Cleveland, which entered the game as the highest favorite -- 5-to-1 -- in MLB history and with Cy Young candidate Kluber on the mound. Kluber offered up a predictably suffocating effort, tossing a shutout at a depleted Tigers team, while allowing only five hits, striking out eight and walking none in his fifth complete game and third shutout of the season. “It’s special. He’s been doing it all season,” Lindor said of Kluber. “Any time he does it, it’s pretty special. Whenever you throw a shutout, it’s cool. Whenever you keep the hitters off-balance like that, it shows how good you are.” Kluber, who allowed a leadoff double to Ian Kinsler before retiring the next 11 straight, is 9-1 with a 1.93 ERA over his last 11 starts. He matched teammate Trevor Bauer and Boston’s Chris Sale for the AL lead with 16 wins and leads the league with a 2.44 ERA over 26 starts. “I think everybody kind of looks up to him because of the way he carries himself and the professional that he is,” manager Terry Francona said. “It’s hard not to. It’s easy to talk about Kluber because he’s so good.” The Indians scored first for the 19th time during the streak, and it came quickly, with Francisco Lindor starting the bottom of the first with a solo shot to left-center off Tigers starter Matthew Boyd. It was home run No. 30 for Lindor, who has belted nine homers during the winning streak. “If you look back a couple years ago when everybody talked about Frankie, it was his defense,” Kluber said. “He’s worked very hard to become a very good hitter. It’s not by accident. His defense was what got the attention initially, but I think he’s turned himself into more than just a great defensive player, but a great overall player.” “He’s growing into a guy that is able to use the whole ballpark and hit for average, but also drive the ball out of the ballpark and play the defense,” Francona said of Lindor. “You’d never quite know, but it sure is fun to watch him.” Cleveland scored again in the sixth when Carlos Santana led off the sixth with a double and scored two outs later on a wild pitch.

The Indians recorded their major-league leading 19th shutout, which accounts for the most in team history since they posted 23 in 1968. Cleveland entered the night leading Houston by 1 1/2 games in the race for the AL’s top record, while trailing the Dodgers by four games for the majors’ best record. Indians relief ace Andrew Miller could be activated from D.L. on Sept. 14 By Jeff Schudel, The News-Herald & The Morning Journal Lean back, relax and breathe a sigh of relief: It’s nearing Miller Time again for the Indians. Andrew Miller, the left-handed reliever critical to the Indians’ chances of returning to the World Series and winning it this time, could be activated Sept. 14 for the game against the Royals, Manager Terry Francona said Sept. 12 before the Tribe hosted the Tigers. “I’m feeling good,” Miller said. “It’s been a steady progression.” Miller has been steadily increasing his practice regimen in recent days and passed another test before Francona met with the media. Miller aced it. “Really good,” Francona said. “The next step is going to be Thursday. We need to work through whether it’s going to be in a real game or a (simulated) game. We just need time to get Andrew, Mickey (pitching coach Mickey Callaway), myself, the medical guys tomorrow and see how he bounces back.” Miller has been on the disabled list with knee soreness since Aug. 22. He was first put on the DL on Aug. 2 with the same injury, activated Aug. 18 and then put back on the disabled list four days later when the injury flared up. As a lefty, Miller lands on his right foot when throwing a pitch. He said the pain he felt affected his delivery. The Indians have been aggressive yet cautious in Miller’s rehab this time. The divisional playoffs begin Oct. 5. The Indians obviously cannot afford another setback. “His volume of work has been much more this time,” Francona said. “His breaking ball is crisper.” The game against the Tigers on Sept. 12 was No. 145 for the Indians, leaving 17 more in the regular season. That number will be down to 15 if Miller is activated on Sept. 14. He said he would like to pitch in five or six games before the playoffs start. “I hope that’s the case,” Francona said. “That might be ambitious. It might not be. That would be great if he could do that because, for one, it helps us win, but you certainly have a better understanding of where you are and not wondering what you have and don’t have. “He’s a really big weapon for us. We’ve tried to do it where we’re not rushing it. We want him back healthy. It’s only fair to him.” Francona is thinking ahead to the playoffs. Miller pitched in 10 of the 17 games for the Tribe in the postseason last year. The Indians might not be able to send Miller to the mound as frequently this year, Francona said. Detroit Tigers show fight but can't get win; Indian s win 20th straight

Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press Published 12:00 a.m. ET Sept. 13, 2017

CLEVELAND – The game started on the right foot.

Ian Kinsler lined a lead-off double down the first base line and the Detroit Tigers had a runner on scoring position with nobody out in the top of the first inning against Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber on Tuesday night.

Then Kluber dug his heels in.

Kinsler got to third base but two strikeouts later, couldn’t score. Left-hander Matt Boyd pitched well but couldn’t get the win. The Indians won their 20th straight game, tying an American League record, by beating the Tigers in a well-played game at Progressive Field, 2-0.

“The only way we were going to beat that guy tonight is if you take him out of the game,” Boyd said. “That’s the fact of the matter.”

With Kluber in Cy Young Award form, Boyd allowed the game-deciding run moments after the Tigers’ first inning opportunity fizzled when Francisco Lindor hit a leadoff, solo home run to leftfield. It was Lindor’s 30th home run of the season.

“I just caught too much of the plate,” Boyd said. “He’s a good hitter.”

Boyd bent but did not break, showing gumption in big situations against the best team in the American League. In the second inning, after three consecutive singles to load the bases, he struck out Yan Gomes and induced a pop out by Lindor. In the third, after two singles and a walk, he got Gomes again.

Boyd would cruise through the next two innings, retiring the final six men he faced, his night cut short only because of an elevated pitch count. In total, he allowed one run on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. He threw a career-high 116 pitches.

Blaine Hardy relieved Boyd in the sixth inning and allowed a double to Carlos Santana. After Drew VerHagen relieved Hardy, recording two outs, a wild pitch scored Santana, gifting the Indians an insurance run.

“Any run when Kluber’s pitching or that type of pitcher’s pitching is big,” manager Brad Ausmus said.

The Tigers wouldn’t again threaten after the first inning against Kluber, who continued his torrid pitching. Tyler Collins led off the eighth inning with a sharp single but after a flyout to leftfield, he was erased on a line drive double play off the bat of Efren Navarro.

Kluber came back out for the ninth inning and completed his fifth game of the season and third shutout. He allowed five hits, walked none and struck out eight.

It wasn’t easy: Down to their final strike, Alex Presley doubled to right-centerfield. But Miguel Cabrera grounded out to third base.

“We played well as a team,” Boyd said. “Hats off to the guy on the other side. He pitched a whale of the game.”

With the win, the Indians are tied for the second-longest winning streak in the modern era with the 2002 Athletics. They can tie the 1935 Cubs by sweeping the Tigers on Wednesday. With the loss, the Tigers fall to 60-84 on the season.

“We’re one of five or six teams that they’ve swept,” Ausmus said. “I just want to win. I don’t care if the other team has won 20 in a row or lost 20 in a row. I just want to win. There’s no other way around it. But I don’t want to stop it because they’re on some streak. I want to stop it because I want to win a baseball game.

“We often show fight. But I’d like to see some wins.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 09.13.2017

How soon before Tigers can be contenders again? Use Indians as template

Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press Published 12:00 a.m. ET Sept. 13, 2017

CLEVELAND – There is a blueprint here, on the banks of Lake Erie, where the Indians are bulldozing their way to a second consecutive American League Central Division championship — and the history books.

They've become the best team in baseball, and they'll have a stranglehold on the division for the foreseeable future.

The Indians are the team the Detroit Tigers used to be, and after starting the rebuilding process in earnest two weeks ago, they are a team the Tigers are hoping to become in the future.

“Is it a great blueprint?” manager Brad Ausmus asked before Monday night’s series opener at Progressive Field, where on Tuesday the Indians pushed their winning streak to 20 games to tie the American League record the Oakland Athletics set in 2002. “Yeah. … But the one thing, you look at their team, it seems like a great blueprint, but there’s a lot of things that have happened here that they weren’t expecting to happen.”

As the Tigers embark on a similarly substantial rebuild, those words cannot be emphasized enough: There is no guaranteed blueprint in building a Major League powerhouse like the Indians have become. Too many variables come into play, too many injuries strike, too many promising prospects peter out while climbing up the minor league ladder.

But there are lessons to be learned from the Indians’ success, which happened without a massive payroll, which the Tigers don’t plan on having in the years to come.

When you look at the Indians, there is an impressive mix of homegrown talent, acquired talent and free-agent talent, all of which has been procured by a player development system that is considered among the best in balancing analytics and scouting.

The Tigers have started the process in a similar fashion, with a farm system that is strong in homegrown pitchers and has been beefed up by hoarding young, athletic and versatile infielders. Perhaps in the first bunch is the next Corey Kluber or Carlos Carrasco. Maybe in the second bunch is the next Francisco Lindor or Jose Ramirez.

Cleveland has made its biggest impact with savvy trades of veteran players. Kluber was acquired from the Padres for Jake Westbook in 2010. Carrasco was acquired from the Phillies for Cliff Lee in 2009. Michael Brantley was the player to be named later in the CC Sabathia deal with the Brewers in 2008. More recently, Mike Clevinger – one of the best pitchers nobody knows about – was acquired from the Angels for Vinnie Pestano in 2014.

The Indians lost 90-plus games in three seasons between 2009-12. It wasn’t long ago during the beginning stages of their resurgence when they were the Tigers’ punching bag: In 2013, The Tigers went 15-4 against them.

Now, the roles have been reversed. The Tigers traded away their biggest parts in the past two months and face a future without the free-spending ways of the past. Instead, they'll be more reliant on an up-and-coming analytics department — which uses a wide-range of metrics to evaluate players —and on player development than ever before.

Tigers general manager Al Avila has fared well in trades, though many before this season were from a win-now angle. He is a scout at heart but also knows he has to grow the analytics department, which the Indians relied on to make those previously mentioned acquisitions.

But those trades alone did not make the Indians an historic success. Last July, they made an unorthodox trade in landing lefty reliever Andrew Miller, who has become baseball’s biggest postseason weapon when healthy. In the off-season, they bucked a long-standing trend of austerity by splurging on Edwin Encarnacion in free agency and added to their riches in August by acquiring veteran slugger Jay Bruce.

Ramirez, who was signed by the Indians as an amateur free agent in 2009, has turned into a bonafide AL Most Valuable Player Award candidate.

“Good teams, you have some surprises, some diamonds in the rough that you don’t expect,” Ausmus said.

The Tigers are no different. One day, they will need a Lindor to emerge — a homegrown star. They will need a player like Ramirez to come out of nowhere and develop into a power-hitting impact player.

The win-now moves are down the road for the Tigers, who must first focus on developing the arms and young position players in their farm system.

“It’s easy to look at the roster and say, ‘Hey, let’s put a roster together like that,’ ” Ausmus said. “It’s a lot harder to actually put together a roster like that.”

The blueprint calls for time and patience. For the Tigers to get to where the Indians are now – where every team in baseball wants to be – that blueprint will have to include a little bit of luck.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 09.13.2017

Tigers victimized as Indians win 20th straight

Chris McCosky, The Detroit News Published 10:08 p.m. ET Sept. 12, 2017 | Updated 10:15 p.m. ET Sept. 12, 2017

Cleveland — Try as they might, the torn-down Tigers can’t offer much resistance to this runaway train, which appears to be speeding downhill toward another long playoff run.

The Cleveland Indians posted their 20th consecutive victory Tuesday night, beating the Tigers 2-0. It’s the longest winning streak in the major leagues since the Oakland A’s won 20 straight in 2002.

They can tie the modern-day record — 21 straight wins set by the Cubs in 1935 — against the Tigers, whom they have been beaten six times during the streak, on Wednesday.

(Elias recognizes the 26-game winning streak by the 1916 New York Giants, though they played a tie game within the streak.)

They Indians have outscored the 20 victims by 102 runs in the streak. This was the seventh shutout posted in the streak, the second straight against the Tigers.

The Tigers, blanked by Carlos Carrasco on Monday, were overmatched by Indians ace Corey Kluber, who pitched a complete-game, five-hit shutout.

Ian Kinsler doubled to lead off the game and was stranded at third after Kluber struck out Miguel Cabrera and Nick Castellanos.

Castellanos doubled with two outs in the fourth. Castellanos singled in the seventh and Tyler Collins singled in the eighth — both were erased on double plays.

With two outs in the ninth, Alex Presley lined a double to the gap in right-center. That brought up Miguel Cabrera, representing the tying run. Kluber, on his 113th pitch, got Cabrera to ground out weakly to third.

Kluber struck out eight.

The Indians starting pitchers have now posted wins in 18 of the 20 wins in the streak.

Unlike Monday, though, the Tigers made a ballgame of it.

Starter Matthew Boyd gave up a first-inning, lead-off home to Francisco Lindor — his 30th of the season — and then battled and clawed his way through four scoreless innings after that.

He may have scored low on the pitch-efficiency meter, but his compete levels were off the charts.

Second inning: The Indians loaded the bases with one out on singles by Jay Bruce, Yandy Diaz and Brandon Guyer. But Boyd fought out of it. He struck out Yan Gomes swinging through a 1-2 change-up.

Then he went to 3-2 on Lindor. First, he challenged him with a 92-mph fastball that Lindor fouled away. He came back with a change-up, gutsy pitch, and got Lindor to foul out to catcher Bryan Holaday.

Holaday went to the mound both before the Gomes strike-out pitch and the Lindor foul out. Possibly he wanted to give the pitch-call verbally to thwart any possible sign-stealing attempts by the Indians.

Third inning: After Austin Jackson and Jose Ramirez singled to start the inning, Boyd struck out Edwin Encarnacion (looking at a curveball) and Carlos Santana (swinging at a fastball).

It looked like he had Bruce struck out, too, but Boyd didn’t get the call on a close 3-2 curveball and the bases were loaded again. Undaunted, he caught an overeager Diaz chasing a first-pitch fastball and got him to fly to center.

At that point, Boyd was at 81 pitches. But he was also locked in. He retired the next six batters, leaving a 1-0 game after five innings.

Impressive outing: one run, six hits, five strikeouts and a career-high 116 pitches.

The Indians stole the second run in the sixth inning. Blaine Hardy relieved Boyd and gave up a leadoff hit to Santana, who turned what should’ve been a single into a double. Left-fielder Alex Presley cut the ball off but didn’t field it cleanly.

He went to third on a ground out. Drew VerHagen was summoned and struck out Diaz for the second out. After he walked pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia intentionally, VerHagen’s first pitch to Gomes was wild and got by Holaday, allowing Santana to score.

outta sight is 20/20! kluber, tribe tie record by jordan bastian...

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