Field Level Media
May 19, 2019
Shane Bieber struck out a career-best 15 batters to highlight his first career complete game as the Cleveland Indians cruised to a 10-0 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Sunday afternoon.
Bieber (3-2) fanned Rio Ruiz to end the seventh inning to eclipse his previous-best strikeout total of 11, which he set in a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay on Sept. 11. The 23-year-old went on to strike out Richie Martin to end the eighth and Dwight Smith Jr. and Chris Davis in the ninth.
Bieber scattered five hits -- all singles -- and did not walk a batter en route to posting his first win since April 16 and first at home in five starts.
Carlos Santana homered for the second time in as many days, and Mike Freeman ripped a two-run double for the Indians, who have won four of their last five games overall and 14 of their last 18 against Baltimore.
The Orioles have lost nine of their past 11 games.
Celebrated Indians prospect Oscar Mercado recorded his first career RBI with a run-scoring double in the sixth inning. The speedy Mercado came around to score on a throwing error by relief pitcher Gabriel Ynoa.
Cleveland bolted out of the blocks to open the scoring, as Francisco Lindor ripped a double down the first-base line and advanced to third on a bunt from Jason Kipnis. Santana's single to right field plated Lindor, and Kipnis came around to score on Carlos Gonzalez's sacrifice fly.
Roberto Perez scored on a passed ball in the second inning to give the Indians a 3-0 lead, before Santana led off the third by depositing a 1-0 fastball from Yefry Ramirez (0-2) over the wall in right field. The homer was the team-leading seventh of the season for Santana, who went 6-for-13 with two homers, six RBIs and four runs scored in the four-game series.
Gonzalez scored on a groundout in the third to give Cleveland a 5-0 lead, and Jose Ramirez walked with the bases loaded to cap a three-run sixth.
Yefry Ramirez allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
--Field Level Media