Indians win streak at 12, sweep Braves with 3-0 victory

In his major-league debut, Joel De La Cruz held his own against one of the better pitchers in the American League in Danny Salazar, but a couple of mistakes in the middle innings cost him and the Indians extend their winning streak to 12 games with a 3-0 win.

The Braves squandered a chance to take a first-inning lead against Salazar. Jace Peterson led off with a double and was at third with nobody out, but got greedy on a ground ball to third and was tagged out easily at home.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when the Indians finally broke through against De La Cruz. With one on and two out, Rajai Davis ripped a ground-rule double to left; Jason Kipnis then lined a base hit of his own past third to score both runners. Then in the sixth, Lonnie Chisenhall hit a no-doubt solo shot into the seats in right.

Joel De La Cruz lasted six innings, allowing seven hits and even had a hit of his own in his first major-league at-bat. Salazar struck out eight in seven innings without a walk for Cleveland.

In the eighth, Freddie Freeman represented the tying run following a two-out walk and an infield hit, but Freeman struck out for the third time in the game. The offense squandered a similar chance in the ninth.