PITTSBURGH — Unbeaten Shane Bieber racked up 11 more strikeouts and the Cleveland Indians blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep and extend their winning streak to a season-high six games.
The right-hander allowed six hits and walked none in six innings, throwing 99 pitches. Bieber (5-0) has struck out a major league-best 65 in 40 2/3 innings, an average of 14.4 per nine innings.
Oliver Perez, Nick Wittgren, James Karinchak and Brad Hand finished the shutout. Hand recorded his seventh save in as many opportunities.
Cleveland has won 10 of its last 13. Pittsburgh lost for the 14 time in 16 games and has the worst record in the big leagues at 4-17.
Bieber has at least eight strikeouts in all six of his starts, the third-longest such streak to start a season in Indians history. Bob Feller did it in nine straight games in 1946 and Sam McDowell had a seven-game streak in 1966.
It was the 11th double-digit strikeout game of Bieber’s three-year career. Herb Score (17) and Feller (12) are the only Indians with more.
Bradley Zimmer had an RBI single in the second inning and Cleveland got its second run on first baseman Josh Bell’s throwing error in the eighth.
Trevor Williams (1-4) was lifted after throwing 90 pitches in four innings. He gave up six hits and two walks while striking out five.
Tyler Naquin had three hits for Cleveland, which left 14 runners on base.
Kevin Newman, who extended his hitting streak to nine games, and Jacob Stallings both had two hits apiece for the Pirates.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Adam Plukto (1-1, 3.95 ERA) will face Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer (0-0, 7.56) on Friday. Cleveland has won 20 straight games against Detroit.
Pirates: Open a three-game home series with the Milwaukee Brewers as RHP Chad Kuhl (0-1, 3.21) opposes RHP Adrian Houser (1-1, 3.27). Kuhl is 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in seven career games against the Brewers.
