Mike Fiers

Indians bullpen, defense falter in 6-2 loss

Published Nov. 15, 2016 1:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Rookie Alex Bregman continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer in the third inning and the Houston Astros ended the Cleveland Indians' six-game winning streak with a 6-2 victory Monday night.

Bregman has hit all seven of his homers and driven in 22 runs over his last 19 games for the Astros, who remain two games out of the second wild-card spot in the AL.

Mike Fiers (10-6) allowed two runs in five innings and defeated the Indians for the second time this season.

The Indians took struggling right-hander Josh Tomlin out of the rotation last week, forcing them to go with eight pitchers Monday in what amounted to a bullpen game for the AL Central leaders.

Mike Clevinger (2-2) allowed a run in the first and was pulled after 1 2/3 innings.

Mike Napoli hit a solo homer -- his 30th of the season -- in the fifth for the Indians, whose lead over Detroit in the division was cut to 4 1/2 games.

Jose Altuve, the AL's leading hitter, was 2 for 5 with an RBI double and is batting .346.

Bregman drew a one-out walk in the first and scored when Altuve doubled. Bregman's home run came off Jeff Manship, who relieved Clevinger in the second.

Houston added three in the seventh on Yuli Gurriel's sacrifice fly, a throwing error by Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis and an infield single by Colby Rasmus.

Clevinger made his sixth start of the season, but first since Aug. 13 after five relief appearances.

Tomlin, who was 0-5 in six August starts, allowed an infield single in the ninth. Perci Garner, Joe Colon, Dan Otero, Bryan Shaw and Cody Anderson also pitched for Cleveland.

CY MATCHUP ON SHELF?

Tuesday's scheduled matchup between the last two AL Cy Young Award winners won't happen. Dallas Keuchel, last season's winner, has returned to Houston to have his left shoulder examined. He won't face right-hander Corey Kluber, who won the award in 2014. The Astros have no timetable for how long Keuchel will be sidelined.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: C Jason Castro (bruised knee) was unavailable for the second straight game after being struck by a foul tip Saturday at Texas. Evan Gattis started behind the plate.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Brad Peacock will be recalled from Triple-A Fresno to start Tuesday. He has made five relief appearances for Houston this year, posting a 3.86 ERA over seven innings.

Indians: Kluber (15-8) is 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA in his last 10 starts. The right-hander hasn't lost since July 3 against Toronto. Kluber allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Astros on May 9, his shortest start of the season.

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