Bauer wins fifth straight as Indians blank Royals

Indians pitcher’s

win streak at five

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, MO.

Trevor Bauer pitched well, but he credits his defense for this victory.

Bauer threw 61/3 innings as the Cleveland Indians beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 on Saturday night.

Bauer (12-8) won his fifth straight decision — the longest winning streak of his career that started after a July 17 loss. He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out four.

“Defense, for sure,” Bauer said. “I wasn’t sharp tonight. I got a lot of balls barreled right at me. I was able to make a couple pitches here and there when I needed to, but mostly Carlos [Santana] made two outstanding plays at first, and made a couple other good ones. [Jason] Kipnis made a really nice play. [Giovanny] Urshela made a really great play at third. It was just the defense playing really well.”

Relievers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen did not allow a hit over the final 22/3 innings to complete the shutout.

Bauer joins teammates Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco as 12-game winners. The Indians are the only team in the majors with three 12-game winners.

“Trevor made some pitches, he got some good defense behind him because he was working quick and throwing strikes,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “And he doesn’t back down. I think in big situations, he’s kind of coming through like more often than not.”

Roberto Perez delivered the clutch blow, a two-out, two-strike, two-run single in the fourth inning that scored Jay Bruce and Santana.

“It’s frustrating,” losing pitcher Jason Vargas said. “When you do things to get yourself in a position to get out of it and put the team in a position to stay in the ball game and then you just make a mistake. I just feel like it’s been happening too often.”

Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis hit consecutive doubles in the first inning for the first Cleveland run.

Bruce’s RBI-double in the fifth scored Ramirez, who had walked, and finished Vargas’ evening.

Vargas (14-7), who had 12 victories at the end of June, gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in 42/3 innings. The Royals dropped to 6-12 in August, while the rotation has a 5.99 ERA for the month.

“We’re talking out of 96 pitches, four pitches that hurt him,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Santana doubled and scored on Jackson’s single in the eighth for the final Indians run.

The Indians are an American League-best 20-8 since July 21 and are 8-2 on their four-city 11-game trip that concludes Sunday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: It is uncertain whether Kluber, who left in the sixth inning Friday with a right ankle sprain, will make his Wednesday start against Boston. “He’s a little stiff, which I think is normal, but not more than that,” Francona said. He said it is “probably 50-50 Kluber would start against the Red Sox, but could be pushed back a day or two. “I think that’s probably the worst-case scenario,” Francona said. “I think sometimes if you can’t prepare for it [a start], it probably behooves us to move him back a little bit.”

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar is 0-2 with 4.63 ERA in four appearances this season against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two starts this year against Cleveland.