Written by Paul Hoynes at Cleveland.com
The postseason can wait. This streak does not want to become a cold page in history.
This streak wants to live.
Jay Bruce made that so Thursday night as he scored Jose Ramirez from second base with a 10th-inning double to give the Indians a 3-2 victory over the Royals and extend their winning streak to 22 straight games. The Indians, who have not lost a game since Aug. 23, own the longest winning streak in 100 years and the longest — without a tie — in the modern era (since 1900).
Jose Ramirez started the rally with his 50th double of the season — a hustle effort that surprised Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain to leadoff the inning. Edwin Encarnacion walked before Bruce ended it with a double into the right-field corner off Brandon Maurer (2-2).
Cody Allen, who pitched a scoreless 10th, was the winner
The 10th inning was the final act of Thursday night’s game, but not the most important. Francisco Lindor, with his team down to its last strike in the ninth, revived the streak with a two-out, two-strike double off the left field wall to score Erik Gonzalez to tie the score and force extra innings.
Lindor, who drove in his 20th RBI of the streak, lined a 2-2 pitch from Kelvin Herrera off the wall as Gonzalez scored from first. The ball hit the top of Alex Gordon’s glove before rebounding into the field.
The Indians entered the game tied with the 1935 Cubs for the second-longest winning streak in the modern era. With the Cubs in the rear view mirror, only the 1916 New York Giants and their 26-game streak — segments of 14 and 12 wins wrapped around a tie — remain in front of the Indians.
The Royals took a 2-1 lead on Eric Hosmer’s opposite field double just inside the left field line with two out in the sixth. Hosmer hit a 2-0 pitch from Josh Tomlin that Abraham Almonte, shading Hosmer toward center field, almost caught with a sliding attempt after a long run.
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