Indians match club record with 13th straight win

TORONTO — Carlos Carrasco struck out a season-high 14, Jason Kipnis and Rajai Davis hit solo home runs and the Cleveland Indians matched a franchise record by winning their 13th consecutive game Thursday night, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1.

Cleveland’s streak is the longest by any team this season, and the longest for the Indians since winning 13 straight in 1951. Cleveland also won 13 in a row in 1942.

Indians starting pitchers are 10-0 during the streak, and Cleveland has outscored its opponents 80-26.

Coming off a four-hit shutout victory at Detroit, Carrasco (4-2) allowed one run and three hits in 7 1/3 innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since April 13 and 19. The right-hander was sidelined from April 25 to June 2 with a strained left hamstring.

Carrasco’s career-high in strikeouts is 15, set last Sept. 25 at Kansas City. Against Toronto, he struck out four straight in the third and fourth innings, then fanned six straight in the sixth, seventh and eighth.

Bryan Shaw replaced Carrasco after Darwin Barney ended the strikeout streak with a double. Shaw struck out pinch hitter Russell Martin, walked Ezequiel Carrera, then fanned Josh Donaldson to end the inning.

Cody Allen got the last three outs for his 17th save.

Davis hit a leadoff shot off R.A. Dickey in the second and Kipnis hit a one-out drive in the third.

Dickey (5-9) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings. The knuckleballer has allowed six home runs in his past two starts, all of them solo shots. He is 0-6 with a 5.14 ERA in eight home starts.

Donaldson provided Toronto’s only offense with a two-out solo homer off Carrasco in the fourth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder) continues to hit in the cage and do soft toss drills without pain, manager Terry Francona said. Brantley, who is not with the team, resumed hitting drills earlier this week after setbacks in May and June.

Blue Jays: Prior to the game, LHP Brett Cecil was activated off the 15-day DL and RHP Ryan Tepera was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Cecil missed 42 games with sore left triceps. Cecil relieved Dickey and pitched a perfect eighth. ... SS Troy Tulowitzki got the day off.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (9-1, 3.32) starts for Cleveland in a Canada Day matinee on Friday. Tomlin is 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in three career starts against Toronto.

Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (6-4, 5.33) has allowed 38 earned runs in his past eight starts and has lost three of his past four decisions.