Naquin propels Indians to sweep of reeling Angels
CLEVELAND -- Tyler Naquin had three hits and Jason Kipnis homered to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at Progressive Field.
Cleveland swept the four-game series, outscoring the Angels 37-12. The loss is the Angels' 10th in a row, marking their longest losing streak since they dropped 11 straight games in July 1999.
Trevor Bauer (9-5) pitched six innings to get the win. Cody Allen worked the ninth to earn his 22nd save.
Angels starter Jered Weaver (8-10) gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.
Kipnis got Cleveland on the board first with a solo home run in the first inning, his career-high 20th blast of the season.
The Angels reached Bauer for two runs in the second. Jefry Marte led off the inning by getting hit in the left shoulder by a pitch. Marte had to leave the game and was replaced by Gregorio Petit.
Bauer retired Geovany Soto on a groundout, but Ji-Man Choi belted Bauer's first pitch into the seats in right field for his fifth home run, a two-run blast that gave the Angels a 2-1 lead.
Los Angeles added another run in the third inning, which began with a triple by No. 9 hitter Nick Buss. Buss scored on a groundout by Yunel Escobar, extending the Angels' lead to 3-1.
It became 4-1 in the fourth inning when Soto slammed a 1-0 pitch from Bauer over the left field wall for his fourth home run.
Bauer, however, still made it through six innings, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
Cleveland's comeback began in the fifth as Naquin doubled to lead off the inning. An Abraham Almonte single moved Naquin to third and Roberto Perez, hitting just .091, drew a walk, to load the bases with no outs.
Naquin was forced out at home on a ground ball hit by Carlos Santana to first baseman Choi for the first out. Weaver struck out Kipnis for the second out, but Francisco Lindor drew a walk to force in Almonte and cut the Angels' lead to 4-2. Mike Napoli then reached on an infield single to deep short, plating Perez to make it a one-run game at 4-3.
The Indians continued their comeback in the sixth inning as Jose Ramirez led off with a single and a steal of second base. Lonnie Chisenhall flied out but Naquin doubled into the right field corner, scoring Ramirez with the tying run.
Weaver was removed from the game and replaced by Jose Valdez. Almonte greeted Valdez with a line drive single to left, scoring Naquin and giving the Indians a 5-4 lead.
Weaver gave up five runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings, becoming the fourth consecutive Angels starter to get roughed up by Cleveland's hitters. In the four game series the Angels four starting pitchers had a 12.23 ERA, giving up 24 runs and 38 hits in 17 2/3 innings.
NOTES: Angels OF Mike Trout was not in the starting lineup Sunday, although manager Mike Scioscia said he would try to use him as a pinch hitter in order to keep alive his streak of 178 consecutive games played. The streak is the second longest active one in the majors behind Jose Altuve (208). ... Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons was also given a day off Sunday. ... Angels 3B Yunel Escobar has 131 hits. The team record for hits by a third baseman is 188 by Carney Lansford in 1979. ... Indians 3B Jose Ramirez came into the contest with a 17-game hitting streak, the longest by an Indians player since 2B Jason Kipnis hit in 20 straight in June 2015. ... The Indians are averaging 5.11 runs per game, second-best in the American League behind Boston (5.43) and third-best in the majors, trailing Colorado (5.23).