CLEVELAND _ Edwin Encarnacion belted a home run in the first inning that proved to be plenty for Mike Clevinger, who tossed yet another scoreless outing, as the Indians downed the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 Friday night at Progressive Field.
It was the Indians' 16th consecutive win, extending their franchise record. It also was only the third time in the expansion era (since 1961) a team has won that many games in a row in a single season, with the 2017 Indians joining the 2002 Oakland Athletics (20 consecutive wins) and the 1977 Kansas City Royals (16).
They have also outscored their opponents 114-28 during this streak, an average of 5.4 runs per game. Friday's game was their fifth shutout in those 16 wins.
Clevinger (9-5) continued a streak of his own, tossing six scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and three walks and struck out seven. It was his third consecutive outing with at least six scoreless innings, making him the first Indians pitcher to accomplish that feat since John Denny did it in 1981. Clevinger also threw six scoreless innings against the Royals on Aug. 26 and the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 1. In that time, his season ERA has dropped from 3.97 to 3.30.
Indians starters combined during the streak have posted a 1.80 ERA.
He quickly had the needed run support. Facing Orioles starting pitcher Wade Miley (8-12) in the bottom of the first inning, Encarnacion blasted a three-run home run to the second row of trees beyond the center-field wall, pushing his season home-run total to 34. He also leads the club with 88 RBI.
The Indians (85-56) added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, Carlos Santana doubled just inside the right-field line to score Yandy Diaz, who had doubled just inside the left-field line to open the inning.
In the seventh, Francisco Lindor singled to right and later scored on a wild pitch by Orioles reliever Richard Bleier, putting the Indians up 5-0.
Relievers Tyler Olson, Bryan Shaw and Nick Goody each threw scoreless innings to complete the shutout. Olson has now tossed 13 scoreless innings since his promotion to the major-league club, allowing 11 hits and striking out 15, as he's provided the Indians an effective left-hander in the absence of Andrew Miller.
