Making history almost every time they take the field, the Cleveland Indians won their 21st successive Major League Baseball game to set an American League record and join only two other teams in the past 101 years to win that many in a row.
In the 5-3 win over Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, Jay Bruce hit a three-run homer off Buck Farmer (4-3) as the Indians matched the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the second-longest winning streak since 1900. The run has put Cleveland within five wins of catching the 1916 New York Giants, who won 26 straight without a loss but whose century-old mark includes a tie.
Roberto Perez added a homer in the seventh and four Cleveland relievers finished. Cody Allen got his 27th save, giving the Indians the league's longest streak since the AL was founded in 1901.
During the streak, which began with a 13-6 win over Boston ace Chris Sale on August 23, the Indians have outscored their opponents 139-35 and trailed in only four of 189 innings. Cleveland starters are 19-0 with a 1.70 ERA, and the Indians have totalled more homers (40) than runs allowed.
Cleveland open a four-game series on Thursday night at home against Kansas City, who were outscored 20-0 during their three-day visit last month.
