CLEVELAND (AP) — There was no 23 Skidoo for the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
The Indians had won an American League-record 22 in a row before suffering their first loss since Aug. 23, 4-3 to the Royals. The Indians led 3-1 in the bottom of the third, but Kansas City scored once in each of the next three innings to leave Cleveland four wins shy of the major league record for consecutive victories.
Brandon Moss started the comeback with a solo homer in the fourth. Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain followed with RBI singles as the Royals bounced back after blowing a ninth-inning lead the previous night.
The rally came against Trevor Bauer, who had won nine straight decisions and was trying to become the league’s first 17-game winner. Instead, Jason Vargas tied for the AL victory lead by pitching into the sixth.
Mike Minor allowed a leadoff single in the ninth before striking out the next three batters to notch the save.
Jose Ramirez slammed a two-run homer for the Indians, whose magic number to clinch the AL Central is down to two following Minnesota’s 4-3 loss to Toronto.