CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians won their 21st straight game on Wednesday, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers, to set a AL winning-streak record and join only two other teams in the past 101 years to win that many consecutive games.
Jay Bruce hit a three-run homer off Buck Farmer (4-3) and Mike Clevinger (10-5) won his fourth straight start as the Indians matched the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the second-longest 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.
The Indians haven't lost in 20 days, and they've rarely been challenged during a late-season run. However, they had to overcome a costly error and rely on their bullpen to hold off the Tigers, who closed within 4-3.
Roberto Perez added a homer in the seventh and four Cleveland relievers finished, with Cody Allen getting his 27th save.
With the crowd of 29,346 standing and stomping, Allen retired Ian Kinsler for the final out, giving the Indians the league's longest streak since the AL was founded in 1901 (see full recap).
Yankees beat Rays, take 2 of 3 at Citi Field
NEW YORK -- A disappointed Jaime Garcia didn't say a word to manager Joe Girardi when he was removed one out shy of qualifying for his first win with the Yankees, and New York beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 Wednesday to take two of three games in a series moved from Florida to Citi Field because of Hurricane Irma.
Garcia is 0-2 in six starts since the Yankees acquired him from Minnesota. He allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, giving up a leadoff homer to Kevin Kiermaier in the third.
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Chad Green (5-0) struck out the side in the sixth, and Tommy Kahnle overcame two hits in the seventh with the help of a double play. Dellin Betances was replaced with Aroldis Chapman with one on and two outs in the eighth. Chapman walked Steven Souza Jr. and gave up an RBI single to Adeiny Hechavarria that sent Souza to third. Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Wilson Ramos.
Curt Casali walked leading off the ninth. Chapman then struck out Brad Miller, Kevin Kiermaier and Lucas Duda for his 18th save in 22 chances (see full recap).
White Sox score 2 in 9th to beat Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia drove in runs in the ninth inning as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Wednesday.
Abreu's sacrifice fly scored Tim Anderson, who led off the inning with a single, took second on a wild pitch by Scott Alexander (4-4) and stole third.
Garcia's single to center scored Yoan Moncada with the second run. Garcia is hitting an American League-leading .432 against left-handed pitchers.
The Royals tied the score at 3 in the eighth. Alcides Escobar singled in one run, while pinch runner Terrance Gore scored the other on an Alex Gordon groundout.
Juan Minaya (3-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the victory. The White Sox won two of three in the series.
Royals starter Eric Skoglund lasted only three innings and 66 pitches, giving up three runs on five hits.
White Sox starter Lucas Giolito yielded one run, a homer by Salvador Perez in the sixth inning, in 6 1/3 innings (see full recap).
