The Sports Xchange
Jun 21, 2017
BALTIMORE -- Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBIs, and Carlos Carrasco threw six-plus solid innings as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 on Wednesday night.
The Lindor homer was the big hit in a three-run fifth inning against Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman, which gave the Indians a lead they never lost. Roberto Perez lined an RBI double just before the home run.
In the ninth, Lindor added an RBI single as did Jason Kipnis to make it 5-0. That also extended Baltimore's streak of allowing at least five runs to 18 games.
The Orioles already set the American League record and now sit just two from the major league mark of 20 (1924 Phillies).
Carrasco (8-3) has won three straight games -- all consecutive starts -- as the Indians (38-32) posted their seventh victory in eight games. He struck out 10 without a walk after going six innings plus three batters.
Andrew Miller came on in the seventh with the bases loaded and no outs after Baltimore (35-36) started the inning with three straight singles against Carrasco. Miller retired the next three batters and also took care of the eighth before Dan Otero and Bryan Shaw combined to finish the ninth.
Shaw got the final out for his second save of the season.
Gausman (3-7) took the loss despite turning in one of his best starts. He gave up three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and two walks.
All three runs came in the fifth inning.
The Orioles finished with nine hits but did not score until a Jonathan Schoop RBI double in the ninth.
This game was delayed 44 minutes at the start by rain.
Neither team did much offensively in the first few innings before both stranded two in the fourth.
The Indians then scored three in the fifth, a rally that began with a one-out single by Bradley Zimmer, who scored when Perez doubled to left-center field.
Lindor followed with his two-run homer to center on a 2-2 pitch that gave the Indians a 3-0 lead. Gausman avoided further damage, actually striking out the side, but the Orioles had fallen behind again.
NOTES: RHP Darren O'Day (shoulder strain) felt fine after throwing in a simulated game and Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he could be activated Friday. ...LHP Zach Britton, the Orioles' closer, is pointing toward a July 5 return from the disabled list. He will pitch two more rehab assignments this week (Thursday, Saturday with Delmarva). ...The Indians confirmed that they will be play a two-game road series with the Twins in Puerto Rico next April 17-18. ... Indians SS Francisco Lindor had gone just 2-for-12 in the series before hitting a two-run homer in the fifth and adding a ninth-inning RBI single.