Orioles can't slow Indians in 5-0 loss (with quotes)

CLEVELAND - Ambushing the Orioles early is becoming the game within the game. Starters can't get away clean. The Indians are especially prone to leaving streaks.

Wade Miley surrendered a three-run homer to Edwin Encarnacion in the first inning and the Orioles couldn't solve right-hander Mike Clevinger, who pointed the Indians toward their 16th consecutive victory, 5-0, before an announced crowd of 30,090 at Progressive Field.

Clevinger held the Orioles to three hits and struck out seven batters over six scoreless innings. He stranded two runners in the third, one in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Each loss is liable to leave a mark, and this one dropped the Orioles to 71-70 overall. They're happy to play meaningful games in September, but they've got to find a way to win more of them.

The Orioles have gone 3-5 since reeling over seven victories in a row.

Chance Sisco received his first major league at-bat in the eighth inning. Pinch-hitting for Caleb Joseph, he fell behind 0-2 against Bryan Shaw and worked the count full before taking a called third strike.

The rotation totaled 13 1/3 innings in the last four games. Miley was gone after 5 2/3, with Carlos Santana's double to right field scoring Yandy Díaz for a 4-0 lead.

Miley hadn't been scored upon since the first. However, the Orioles were put in another three-run hole and Clevinger wouldn't let them climb out of it.

Try reaching for the hair.

Kevin Gausman also allowed three runs yesterday in the first inning, with the Yankees pulling 36 pitches out of him. Miley was slightly more economical with 27.

The Orioles failed to turn a double play after Francisco Lindor's leadoff walk. Jonathan Schoop bobbled Austin Jackson's grounder and settled for the force at second base, Díaz singled and Encarnacion launched a 425-foot home run to center field.

Miley walked a batter and struck out two to close the inning. He'd live to regret the 88 mph four-seamer that disappeared into the dusk.

Encarnacion began the night 6-for-13 with two home runs lifetime against Miley, who retired eight of nine batters after Erik González's one-out walk in the second. Lindor doubled with two outs in the fifth and was stranded.

Miley allowed six hits, walked three batters and struck out four. He threw 102 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Clevinger rationed the Orioles to singles by Manny Machado in the third inning, Trey Mancini in the fourth and Adam Jones in the sixth. He threw 98 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Mancini also singled off Nick Goody with two outs in the ninth, but the Orioles were shut out for the eighth time this season and first since July 16. The Indians have registered 17 shutouts to lead the majors.

A wild pitch from Richard Bleier enabled Lindor to score with two outs in the seventh. The run was charged to Miguel Castro, who loaded the bases.

Chris Tillman struck out Roberto Pérez, the only batter he faced, to end the eighth inning.

The Indians joined the 2002 Athletics (20) and 1977 Royals (16) as the only teams since 1961 to win 16 or more games in a row. Their rotation has posted a 1.80 ERA in those 16 games.

Update: The Orioles will provide more information Saturday on Welington Castillo, but he's fine physically. He was scratched because there was a possiblity of him flying home to be with his family, but he remained with the team.

Manager Buck Showalter on how Indians have won 16 straight: "They're leading the league in starting pitching and relief pitching, so you know runs are going to be at a premium. I got asked about Wade. I mean, Wade pitched pretty well other than the first inning, but they play good defense and they pitch well. It's a good combination, obviously, and they've had a lot of people pick up for whatever injuries they've had and take advantage of the opportunity. A real tribute to their farm system and the way they put their organization together."

Showalter on Miley: "It gets magnified because of any mistake because of how well their guys are pitching. You know giving up runs early, especially giving them a little cushion where he can attack what was the bottom of the zone tonight and he did a good job with that."

Showalter on whether this is best stretch from Miley: "I'd have to look back on it. Wade's been pitching well, but you see there's another level with the way they're pitching now."

Miley on outing: "I made a couple mistakes. A mistake to Encarnacion early in the game that cost us three runs and put us behind the 8-ball, but after that I was just trying to hold it there as long as I could. That was it."

Miley on Indians: "What is that, 16 in a row? Just trying to go out there and have a scoreless first. It didn't work out that way. You've just got to put it behind you and keep fighting back."

Miley on run of results: "I'm just trying to make pitches, man. I'm just trying to go out and give us a chance to win. I put us behind the 8-ball early and I just tried to do everything I can in my power to get us as deep in that game as possible and try to hang around for that.

Miley on Orioles offense scoring one run over last two games: "It's baseball, man. These guys are going to score plenty of runs. They've got a good thing going on over there right now. If you've got the confidence that they have, it just works in their favor."

Caleb Joseph on Indians: "Their starter was good. Their whole starting staff is good. I thought Wade did a nice job getting as deep in the game. He was a strike away from giving us a quality start. That's good. The first three runs happened quick, but they've got a good recipe over there. They've got a good staff. They've got good hitting. That's why they were in the World Series last year. But so do we. That's why we have to sleep quick, come back and try to get them tomorrow afternoon."

Joseph on Encarnacion home run: "It was a cutter that didn't cut. Leadoff walks are usually detrimental. Gave up an 0-2 hit, I think, to the three-hole hitter, then a cutter that didn't cut. But I thought he did a really nice job with the curveball and changeup to allow him to get deep in that game. I thought he did a good job.

"When it happens that quick, it can really implode fast. And you never know. If we put together a couple hits, score a couple runs, put some heat on them, maybe it looks different in the end, maybe Wade gets deeper. Maybe they start swinging at pitches earlier. Who knows? But I think tonight was more about what their starter did versus what ours did. He was good. He was good."

Joseph on early pressure once team falls behind against this staff: "The guy we faced yesterday is pretty good. Probably the day before that. This is the big leagues. They're all really tough. We know coming into it, their staff is really good. Each team we face has got two or three guys that are All-Star-caliber pitchers. That's just the nature of the American League. But, yeah, the recipe we'd love is to score 10 runs in the first inning and have our pitcher have that kind of feeling. But it's really hard to do.

"We've got to just find more ways to put pressure on them. Strikeouts are tough. When you put the ball in play, you just never know what's going to happen. That guy featured a lot of strikeout stuff, especially when you're getting pitches below the knees called strikes."

Showalter on crediting Indians pitching: "Pitching's on top of its game, hitting's on top of its game, pitching wins. That's why it's at such a premium and why they're having such a good year and are able to put together good strings. But we're capable of pitching well, too.

"Got some good outs. I love to see Castro come in and get a strikeout in that last situation, see a young pitcher grow like that. See Mancini stick his nose in there and grind out two hits. Those things are good to see."