CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer threw a three-hitter for his second career complete game, Jason Kipnis hit a two-run homer and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight win.
Bauer (5-2) struck out 10, walked one and allowed only one runner past second base. It was the second straight three-hitter for the Indians, following Corey Kluber’s in a 6-0 win over the Rays on Tuesday.
Kipnis’ homer highlighted a three-run first inning off Chris Archer (4-10). Carlos Santana drove in two runs while Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor also had RBIs.
Cleveland leads the AL Central and has won 11 straight at Progressive Field. The Indians are also 11 games over .500 (41-30).
Corey Dickerson drove in the only run for Tampa Bay, which has lost seven straight.
The win capped a big day for Cleveland, which hosted a parade for the Cavaliers winning the NBA title. Hundreds of thousands of fans jammed downtown for the festivities to celebrate Cleveland’s first championship in any major sport since 1964.
One fan took the celebration too seriously in the seventh when he ran on the field from the third base stands and headed toward center field. He scaled the 9-foot high wall, raced up the steps and disappeared into the crowd before being grabbed by security.
The Indians completed a 6-0 homestand, which included three-game sweeps of the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay.
The Rays have matched a season-worst eight games under .500 (31-39).
Bauer took a one-hitter into the seventh. Miller walked to lead off and took third on Logan Morrison’s double. Miller scored on Dickerson’s ground ball to deep short, but Morrison rounded too far past third and was thrown out by Lindor.
Santana had an RBI double in the fourth and a run-scoring single in the seventh.
Archer, who allowed four runs in six innings, has lost six of his last seven starts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: Manager Kevin Cash said INF Steve Pearce (strained right hamstring) could be out longer than two weeks. Pearce was injured Monday and placed on the 15-day DL.
Indians: OF Michael Brantley will be shut down for a few days after receiving a cortisone shot Tuesday. Brantley had surgery on his right shoulder in November and is also dealing with right biceps tendinitis.
UP NEXT
Rays: Following a day off Tampa Bay begins a three-game series in Baltimore on Friday. LHP Matt Moore (3-4), who has allowed nine homers in his last seven starts, goes in the opener.
Indians: After a day off Cleveland starts a three-game series in Detroit on Friday. RHP Danny Salazar (8-3) takes his 2.23 ERA, the second-lowest in the AL, into his 14th start of the season.
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