Ramirez helps Indians maintain winning streak
The Cleveland Indians were led by Jose Ramirez's four hits and four runs scored, a home run (18) and three RBIs (55) in MLB on Friday.
Jose Ramirez is putting up eye-popping numbers this season after inspiring the streaking Cleveland Indians to a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in MLB.
Breakout star Ramirez led with four hits with four runs scored, a home run (18) and three RBIs (55) on Friday.
Ramirez's latest hit barrage bumped his average to a cool .322 this season, while helping the Indians win their eighth successive game.
The Indians are clinging onto a two-game lead over the Kansas City Royals — winners of nine straight games — in the American League (AL) Central. Despite Cleveland's recent flurry of wins, they have lost ground on the equally-hot Kansas City team.
In fact, this is the first time two teams from the same division have had simultaneous streaks of eight-plus wins after the All-Star Game since 2004, when the St Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros — then in the National League (NL) — accomplished the feat.
FRIDAY'S RESULTS
Atlanta Braves 3-10 Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays 1-6 New York Yankees
Kansas City Royals 4-2 Boston Red Sox
Houston Astros 6-5 Detroit Tigers
Chicago Cubs 1-2 Milwaukee Brewers
Arizona Diamondbacks 0-1 St Louis Cardinals
New York Mets 7-5 Seattle Mariners
San Francisco Giants 4-6 Los Angeles Dodgers
Colorado Rockies-Washington Nationals (postponed)
Los Angeles Angels 7-2 Toronto Blue Jays
Cincinnati Reds 4-7 Miami Marlins
Baltimore Orioles 2-8 Texas Rangers
Cleveland Indians 9-3 Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins 6-3 Oakland Athletics
Pittsburgh Pirates 2-3 San Diego Padres
TANAKA LEADS YANKEES
Masahiro Tanaka lost his perfect game with two outs in the fifth inning en route to allowing just one run in eight innings. The inconsistent hurler gave up just two hits with no walks while striking out 14 batters. Despite the gem, he is just 8-9 with a 5.09 ERA this season.
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve collected three more hits with two runs scored against the Tigers. Altuve, who is batting .369, already has 19 three-hit games this season.
PORCELLO'S STRUGGLES CONTINUE
Wins and losses are probably the most overrated stats when it comes to pitchers, but reigning AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello fell to an alarming 4-14 this season after giving up four runs in seven innings in Boston's defeat to the Royals. ERA, which is an important stat, is not on Porcello's side, either. It fell to 4.55 after this outing.
BELTRE MOVES CLOSER TO HISTORY
The Rangers star's two hits against the Orioles moved him just two shy of 3,000 for his career.
DIAMONDBACKS AT CARDINALS
The Diamondbacks and their fans will be thinking of Robbie Ray, who left Friday's game after getting hit in the head. It appears the breakout pitcher will be fine, and Arizona will have to move forward after a tough loss. Zack Greinke (12-4, 2.92 ERA) has quietly put together a Cy Young-calibre season. He takes the mound Saturday against St Louis' Mike Leake (7-8, 3.20 ERA).