The Cleveland Indians' scorching hot streak continued Tuesday, as they defeated the Detroit Tigers, 2-0, at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

With the win, the Indians tied the 2002 Oakland Athletics for the longest winning streak in American League history.

Before Cleveland's winning streak started on Aug. 24, the defending AL champions were 69-56, and they trailed the Houston Astros by 7.5 games for the best record in the league. The Indians have since taken over the top spot in the AL standings with an 89-56 record following Tuesday's win.

From pitching to hitting to defense, everything has been working for the Tribe over the last 20 games. The Indians tweeted out a stat prior to Tuesday's game highlighting one of the ways they have dominated the opposition:

MLB.com's Jordan Bastian offered another statistical nugget about the Indians coming into Tuesday's matchup with the Tigers:

Over their past 20 games, the Indians pitching staff has thrown seven shutouts. The latest came from ace Corey Kluber, who handled the Tigers with ease Tuesday with eight strikeouts and just five hits allowed in a complete-game victory.

Despite the good vibes in Cleveland right now, manager Terry Francona has told his team to treat each game as its own thing.

"I think our message is always consistent, that, 'Hey, show up and try to outplay them today,'" he said on Tuesday, via Bastian and Jason Beck of MLB.com. "They're doing a really good job of that. I think to be a good team, sometimes spreading out games is important and the guys have done a really good job of that."

What's even more impressive: The Indians have reeled off this win streak with All-Stars Michael Brantley and Andrew Miller and second baseman Jason Kipnis on the disabled list.

The 1916 New York Giants are credited as having the longest winning streak in MLB history at 26 games, but they had a 1-1 tie against the Pittsburgh Pirates during that run.

After the Indians tied the 2002 Athletics' win streak Tuesday, they'll look to match the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the longest winning streak since 1900 if they can defeat the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon.

The Indians will also hope to avoid the fate of the 1935 Cubs and 2002 A's, both of whom failed to win the World Series after putting together their historic streaks during the regular season. </s> Cleveland beat Detroit 5-3 on Wednesday afternoon for the team's 21st straight win, breaking the American League record.

"You know everyone talks about the streak and being consumed with it," rightfielder Jay Bruce told MLB.com. "What consumes us is the daily kind of schedule and game we have to get ready for."

The major league record is 26 straight wins by the New York Giants in 1916, though there was a tie during that streak as well. To claim that record, Cleveland will have to sweep the Kansas City Royals at home before taking two games from the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif.

The Cleveland Indians are chasing a Major League Baseball record that few teams in the modern era have managed to accomplish.

The Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 Tuesday night in Cleveland to win their 20th straight game — tying the American League winning streak held by the 2002 Oakland Athletics.

Baseball fans and moviegoers alike will remember that team.

The 2011 movie Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt, told the story of how the A's used detailed statistics to assemble a roster of underappreciated, low-salaried players 15 years ago who went on to become a powerhouse team that won 20 straight games.

The A's finished first in the American League West that season with a record of 103-59.

The Indians will go for 21 straight wins when they play the Tigers Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland.

The 1935 Chicago Cubs, a National League team, currently hold that record.

Tying that record would be bittersweet. The 2016 Cubs beat the Indians 4-3 in last season's World Series. Cleveland had taken a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Indians, however, haven't let that loss define them.

Cleveland's winning streak began last month in Boston, and as the streak has continued, the team has done its best to keep it from being a distraction.

The Associated Press reports Indians Manager Terry Francona has been downplaying the streak but chooses his words carefully whether he's talking to reporters, family or friends:

If Cleveland wins later Wednesday — and they've already beaten the Tigers six times during the streak — they can challenge the record held by the 1916 New York Giants.

The Giants had an unbeaten streak of 27 games, but that included a tie. Baseball views the Giants' winning streak of 26 games as the longest in history.

Steve Hirdt, executive vice president at the Elias Sports Bureau, which is Major League Baseball's official record keeper, is asked all the time which record he would like to see broken.

He tells The Associated Press that he is "eager to see if Cleveland can topple the Giants' gigantic mark." </s> Making history almost every time they take the field, the Indians won their 21st straight game on Wednesday, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers, to set an American League 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 in which they’ve dominated every aspect of the game.

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.

During their streak, which began with a 13-6 win over Boston ace Chris Sale on Aug. 23, the Indians have rarely been tied, never mind equaled, for nine innings. They have been superior in every way possible.

Cleveland’s starters have gone 19-0 with a 1.70 ERA, they’ve outscored their opponents 139-35 and trailed in only four of 189 innings.

Incredibly, the Indians have hit more home runs (40) than their pitchers have given up in total runs.

And while they’ve racked up win after win, the defending AL champs have reduced their magic number for winning their second straight AL Central title to four. They’ve passed the Houston Astros for the league’s best record, which will come into play in the postseason because the team with the best record in each postseason series has the home-field advantage.

On Tuesday, the Indians tied the league mark of 20 straight wins held by the “Moneyball” 2002 Oakland Athletics. And now that they’re alongside the ’35 Cubs, the Indians have a realistic shot of running down the ’16 Giants.

Cleveland opens four-game series on Thursday against Kansas City, which was outscored 20-0 on its three-day visit last month.

With a shot at AL history, Clevinger took the mound with Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” blasting through the ballpark’s sound system, and Cleveland’s crowd came to rock — and witness history — on a mostly sunny day.

Some parents kept their kids home from school and brought them to Progressive Field to see a once-in-a-lifetime event Cleveland residents may remember more than any solar eclipse. They cheered every two-strike count like it was October and there was something much bigger on the line. Those days aren’t far off, and the Indians have viewed the streak as a perfect postseason warm-up as they try to end a Series title drought dating to 1948.

Clevinger, who didn’t allow a run in 18 innings over his three previous starts, was down 1-0 in the first after Jeimer Candelario touched him for a two-out RBI double.

But as they have done for the past three weeks, the Indians responded as Bruce, who arrived in a trade from the Mets last month, connected for a three-run shot into the left-field bleachers.

The Indians made it 4-1 in the third on Edwin Encarnacion’s flare RBI single.

Cleveland’s lead shrunk to 4-3 in the sixth, when third baseman Yandy Diaz’s throwing error helped the Tigers score a pair of unearned runs. However, while costly, it didn’t derail the Indians.

After Corey Kluber pitched a five-hit shutout on Tuesday, the Indians didn’t have much time to rest before they were back at the ballpark to finish their series against the Tigers, who have dropped 11 of 12 to Cleveland.

Tigers: OF Mikie Mahtook missed his fifth consecutive game after being scratched from a Sept. 9 game against Toronto with left groin soreness. Manager Brad Ausmus said Mahtook was “getting closer, but he’s not ready.”

Indians: All-Star reliever Andrew Miller will be activated from the disabled list Thursday following his second stint on the disabled list with knee tendinitis. The team plans to ease Miller back, using him for an out or two before ramping up his workload to get him ready for the postseason.

The Indians’ Josh Tomlin, who is 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last six outings, starts the opener against Royals rookie Jakob Junis. </s> CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians share a record with a team celebrated by Hollywood.

Following a familiar script of scoring first, playing strong defense and riding dominant pitching, the Indians extended their winning streak to 20 games and matched the AL mark held by the 2002 Oakland Athletics, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Cleveland’s streak, which began on Aug. 24 in Boston, is tied for the majors’ second-longest in 82 years — and the Indians show no signs of stopping.

Corey Kluber (16-4) strengthened his Cy Young Award case with a four-hitter as Cleveland joined the 2002 A’s, 1935 Chicago Cubs (21) and 1916 New York Giants (26) as the only teams to win at least 20 in a row. </s> CLEVELAND (AP) — 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.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Making history almost every time they take the field, the Indians won their 21st straight game on Wednesday, 5-3 over the Detroit Tigers, to set an American League 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 in which they’ve dominated every aspect of the game.

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.

During their streak, which began with a 13-6 win over Boston ace Chris Sale on Aug. 23, the Indians have rarely been tied, never mind equaled, for nine innings. They have been superior in every way possible.

Cleveland’s starters have gone 19-0 with a 1.70 ERA, they’ve outscored their opponents 139-35 and trailed in only four of 189 innings.

Incredibly, the Indians have hit more runs (40) than their pitchers have given up in total runs.

And while they’ve racked up win after win, the defending AL champs have reduced their magic number for winning their second straight AL Central title to four. They’ve passed the Houston Astros for the league’s best record, which will come into play in the postseason because the team with the best record in each postseason series has the home-field advantage.

On Tuesday, the Indians tied the league mark of 20 straight wins held by the “Moneyball” 2002 Oakland Athletics. And now that they’re alongside the ’35 Cubs, the Indians have a realistic shot of running down the ’16 Giants.

Cleveland opens four-game series on Thursday against Kansas City, which was outscored 20-0 on its three-day visit last month.

With a shot at AL history, Clevinger took the mound with Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” blasting through the ballpark’s sound system, and Cleveland’s crowd came to rock — and witness history — on a mostly sunny day.

Some parents kept their kids home from school and brought them to Progressive Field to see a once-in-a-lifetime event Cleveland residents may remember more than any solar eclipse. They cheered every two-strike count like it was October and there was something much bigger on the line. Those days aren’t far off, and the Indians have viewed the streak as a perfect postseason warm-up as they try to end a Series title drought dating to 1948.

Clevinger, who didn’t allow a run in 18 innings over his three previous starts, was down 1-0 in the first after Jeimer Candelario touched him for a two-out RBI double.

But as they have done for the past three weeks, the Indians responded as Bruce, who arrived in a trade from the Mets last month, connected for a three-run shot into the left-field bleachers.

The Indians made it 4-1 in the third on Edwin Encarnacion’s flare RBI single.

Cleveland’s lead shrunk to 4-3 in the sixth, when third baseman Yandy Diaz’s throwing error helped the Tigers score a pair of unearned runs. However, while costly, it didn’t derail the Indians.

After Corey Kluber pitched a five-hit shutout on Tuesday, the Indians didn’t have much time to rest before they were back at the ballpark to finish their series against the Tigers, who have dropped 11 of 12 to Cleveland.

Tigers: OF Mikie Mahtook missed his fifth consecutive game after being scratched from a Sept. 9 game against Toronto with left groin soreness. Manager Brad Ausmus said Mahtook was “getting closer, but he’s not ready.”

Indians: All-Star reliever Andrew Miller will be activated from the disabled list Thursday following his second stint on the disabled list with knee tendinitis. The team plans to ease Miller back, using him for an out or two before ramping up his workload to get him ready for the postseason.

The Indians’ Josh Tomlin, who is 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last six outings, starts the opener against Royals rookie Jakob Junis. </s> CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cleveland Indians share a record with a team celebrated by Hollywood.

Following a familiar script of scoring first, playing strong defense and riding dominant pitching, the Indians extended their winning streak to 20 games and matched the AL mark held by the 2002 Oakland Athletics, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Cleveland's streak, which began on Aug. 24 in Boston, is tied for the majors' second-longest in 82 years - and the Indians show no signs of stopping.

Corey Kluber (16-4) strengthened his Cy Young Award case with a five-hitter as Cleveland joined the 2002 A's, 1935 Chicago Cubs (21) and 1916 New York Giants (26) as the only teams since 1900 to win at least 20 in a row.

This story has been corrected with Kluber throwing a five-hitter. </s> CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have set an American League record with their 21st victory in a row.

The Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 this afternoon at Progressive Field.

The Oakland Athletics set the previous AL mark of 20 straight wins in 2002. </s> Just one month after the Dodgers appeared to be on their own record-setting pace, the Cleveland Indians are in the midst of a spectacular run that has made them the talk of baseball.

The Indians won their 20th consecutive game on Tuesday night, shutting down the Detroit Tigers 2-0 thanks to another sterling effort from ace pitcher Corey Kluber. The victory tied the American League record for consecutive victories, set by the famous "Moneyball" Oakland Athletics in 2002.

With at least a share of the AL record secure, Cleveland fans will now turn their attention to another incredible milestone: the MLB record for the longest winning streak, set by the 1916 New York Giants.

Or is it?

That team, managed by the legendary John McGraw, is credited with 26 straight wins in September, 1916.

Baseball was a fundamentally different game a century ago: the ball was dead, the spitball was legal and the players were much more likely to stay in dingy boarding houses than luxury hotels when on the road. But unlike these details, the Giants' record has stood the test of time and is still the streak to beat.

While it's true that the Giants didn't lose a game between September 7 and September 29, they didn't win all of their matchups either. On September 18, they played the Pittsburgh Pirates to a nine-inning tie.

That game would have been headed for extra innings in today's league, but that wasn't an option before the advent of stadium lights. The game counted for statistical purposes, but the tie didn't count in the standings, so history shows that the Giants won 26 straight. But the fact remains that they failed to win one of their games during that historic run.

All of this adds a new wrinkle to the Indians' place in history. Discounting streaks that included ties, the next-longest winning streak came from the 1935 Chicago Cubs, a classic team that included names like Charlie Root and Chuck Klein. That team also went streaking in September, winning 21 straight games.

If that's the true record, then the Indians are just one win away from matching one of the most incredible accomplishments in MLB history. As it is, they've already won as many consecutive games as any team has in the last 80 years, but to tie the all-time record would be a career achievement for the entire roster.

Of course, that's only if you accept the Cubs' record as the real mark to beat - Giants fans will insist that one unofficial tie doesn't negate an entire month of victories. As in the debate over the single-season home run record, both sides have valid arguments.

But whatever your stance on the issue, it will be thrilling to see if the Indians can keep it going. Their next game is set for Wednesday against Detroit.
The Cleveland Indians defeat the Detroit Tigers 5–3 for their 21st consecutive win, surpassing the previous American League record of 20 set by the 2002 Oakland Athletics. The streak is the longest in Major League Baseball since the 1935 Chicago Cubs won 21 straight.