Indians top Pirates 4-0, end Pittsburgh’s 11-game win streak
By BRIAN DULIK, Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer, Adam Cimber and Brad Hand combined for an emphatic end to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 11-game winning streak.
Bauer struck out 10 over seven innings and the newly acquired relievers completed a three-hitter as the Cleveland Indians beat the Pirates 4-0 on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh was seeking its first 12-game winning streak since 1965 but only advanced one runner to third base. The Pirates had scored six or more runs in seven straight games before losing for the first time since July 10 against Washington.
“When you face a team that’s hot like that, I enjoy meeting the challenge head-on,” said Bauer, who improved to 3-0 with an MLB-low 0.33 ERA in four interleague starts this season.
“I challenged them, forced them to hit my stuff,” he said. “I wanted to see who was tougher.”
Bauer (9-6) allowed two hits and two walks in his ninth double-digit strikeout game this year.
Cimber, acquired from San Diego along with Hand on July 19, got the first two outs in the eighth. Hand retired the next four batters, striking out three, for his first save with Cleveland. He had 24 saves with the Padres.
“Those guys are taking my innings away from me, jerks,” Bauer said, chuckling. “They’re good, and that’s what we got them to do, you know? Come in and shut the game down.”
Edwin Encarnacion had a two-run single in the third off Jameson Taillon (7-8), and Yonder Alonso had a two-run homer in the eighth against Felipe Vazquez.
Jose Ramirez scored twice and stole two bases for the Indians, who lead the AL Central by eight games over Minnesota. Francisco Lindor went had two hits.
“Trevor Bauer was as good as advertised,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “The spin pitches, sometimes they looked like a whiffle-ball coming in there, and he has enough run to the arm-side fastball at times that it keeps you honest.”
Pittsburgh, which outscored Cleveland 16-4 in winning the first two games of the series, was blanked for the ninth time. Jordy Mercer, Jacob Stallings and Adam Frazier had hits.
Pirates center fielder Starling Marte left in the first inning after being struck on the left hand by a Bauer pitch. Left fielder Corey Dickerson did not play because of a strained left hamstring that occurred Tuesday.
CLOSE CALL
Marte’s career-high hitting streak remains intact at 17 games because he did not record an official at-bat or sacrifice fly before leaving. Initial medical tests revealed a bruise, but no fracture.
“The news we received was the best news we could have gotten as far as the severity,” Hurdle said. “I don’t think it’s too bad.”
Marte has an NL-high 20 RBIs in July and is batting .292 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs on the season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (right forearm strain) began performing gripping exercises Tuesday and did not experience any problems. The 25-year-old starter was placed on the disabled list on June 29.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) will pitch every other day during his rehab assignment with Double-A Akron. He allowed four runs in 1/3 of an inning in his first outing Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Pirates RHP Nick Kingham (5-4, 4.11 ERA) takes on Mets LHP Steven Matz (4-8, 3.65 ERA) in the opener of a nine-game homestand Thursday at PNC Park.
Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco (12-5, 4.03 ERA) faces Tigers RHP Mike Fiers (7-6, 3.49 ERA) to begin a six-game trip Friday at Comerica Park.
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Marte, Polanco, Bell HR; Bucs beat Indians for 11th straight
By STEVE HERRICK, Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has a simple philosophy when it comes to hot streaks.
“I have a saying that I use all the time,” he said. “I’m not superstitious but just in case, there’s some things I’ll continue to do.”
Whether it’s superstition — or just solid baseball — whatever the Pirates are doing is working.
Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer, and Pittsburgh beat the Cleveland Indians 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 11th straight win.
Hurdle, in his 16th season as a big league manager, knows how quickly fortunes can change in baseball but realizes his team is doing something special.
“I can understand not making too much of it,” he said. “(But) I’ve been in the game 44 years and I won’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been on a team that has won 11 games in a row. It hasn’t been 44.”
The Pirates beat the Indians for the second straight night. Marte homered in the first inning, drove in three runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.
Polanco homered and Corey Dickerson tripled in two runs when Pittsburgh scored five times in the second. Bell hit a home run in the fifth. The Pirates have homered in a season-high nine straight games, hitting 22 home runs in that span.
Pittsburgh has won 11 in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-22, 1996. The Pirates have won 13 of 14 and are 17-8 since June 24. Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 43-9 in the last five games.
Musgrove (4-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for his first win since June 29.
“It’s awesome,” he said of the winning streak. “It’s not very often you get to be a part of something like this.”
Shane Bieber (5-2), called up from Triple-A Columbus to make the start, allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion returned after missing two games with a bruised right hand and hit a leadoff homer in the fourth. Brandon Guyer added a solo homer in the eighth.
Pittsburgh rolled to a 7-0, rain-shortened win over reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber on Monday and the offense jumped ahead early again.
“Right now, we’re facing a team that if you make a mistake, they capitalize on everything and for two games now, that’s what’s happened,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Dickerson doubled to start the game and Marte drove a 2-1 pitch into the left-field bleachers for his 16th homer.
Pittsburgh’s second-inning runs came with two outs. Dickerson’s drive with runners on first and second sent center fielder Tyler Naquin to the wall. Naquin attempted to make a leaping catch, but the ball glanced off the side of his glove and rolled along the track.
Marte followed with an infield hit, and Polanco got his 18th home run to right. Bell hit his sixth homer to right off Neil Ramirez.
The Pirates are 12-2 in interleague play and have won eight in a row against AL teams.
Cleveland snapped a scoreless streak of 15 innings in the first on Jose Ramirez’s RBI groundout.
BIG NUMBERS
Dickerson, Marte and Polanco have fueled the Pirates’ hot streak. The three have combined to hit .382 (26 of 68) with nine homers 24 RBIs over the last five games.
“We’re challenging ourselves,” Dickerson said. “When somebody does something well the other ones are wanting to do something awesome also. We’re kind of holding each other accountable the way we work and those guys are working hard, so it’s paying off.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: Dickerson was removed in the bottom of the fourth with left hamstring discomfort after going 2 for 3. He said after the game that he didn’t think the injury was serious.
Indians: LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) allowed four runs in one-third of an inning on a rehab assignment for Double-A Akron on Tuesday. He retired one of the five batters he faced and threw 24 pitches.
UP NEXT
James Taillon (7-7, 3.80 ERA) faces Indians All-Star Trevor Bauer (8-6, 2.44) in the series finale Wednesday. Taillon has never faced Cleveland while Bauer beat the Pirates in his only appearance against them in 2015.
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