ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Bartolo Colon’s third attempt at making major league history ended unsuccessfully again when his pitchers’ duel with Carlos Carrasco became one-sided in the fifth inning.
Yonder Alonso homered twice, Carrasco pitched into the seventh inning, and the Cleveland Indians scored in each of the last five innings in a 16-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
Alonso’s two-run home run in the fifth inning highlighted a six-run outburst that broke a scoreless tie. His second, a solo homer and 15th of the season, came in the seventh.
Colon (5-8) failed in his third bid to record his 246th career win and break a tie with Dennis Martinez for the most career wins for a major league pitcher born in Latin America. He allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
“Cruise through four, and then it seemed like he lost feel for the fastball,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said of Colon, whose first 75 big-league wins came with Cleveland 1997-2002. “Everything was up middle, and they didn’t miss.”
Carrasco (12-5) gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings to tie teammate Corey Kluber and four others for second place in the majors in wins, two behind Luis Severino of the New York Yankees. One win came in relief, last Sunday against the Yankees on the day before the All-Star break.
Carrasco took a shutout into a seventh before giving up a two-run homer to Adrian Beltre. He struck out eight and walked one.
“If you don’t see any runs, just keep throwing zeroes,” Carrasco said. “That’s pretty much what we did in the game.”
EXTREME HEAT? NO SWEAT
The first-pitch temperature of 107 degrees fell one degree short for the second consecutive night of this season’s major league high. When the Los Angeles Angels hosted the Dodgers on July 7, it was 108 degrees at first pitch.
Right-hander Mike Clevenger, Cleveland’s scheduled starter for Sunday afternoon’s series finale, said he made a rehab start in Arizona with the temperature at 128 degrees.
Clevenger adjusted his diet late last week with more carbohydrates and fruit in anticipation of Sunday’s heat, and will take an IV early in the day.
“I think that puts me in a good spot,” he said.
TAKING FOUR (INNINGS) FOR THE TEAM
Alonzo’s homers and one by Tyler Naquin came off Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day. Bibens-Dirkx pitched four innings and allowed 11 runs in relief, a club record, and 13 hits. He threw 87 pitches, 14 more than Colon.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to him,” Banister said of Bibens-Dirkx, who was lifted with two outs in the ninth and two on. “It’s not pretty, but he understands what the situation was.”
CHOO FINALLY KEPT OFF BASE
Shin-Soo Choo went 0 for 4 to end his 52-game on-base streak. That stretch tied Kevin Millar’s streak in 2007 as the longest since Orlando Cabrera’s 63-game streak in 2006.
“I’m very excited about what I did,” Choo said.
SHORT HOPS
Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez singled and tripled for his 39th multi-hit game, tying him with Boston’s J.D. Martinez and Atlanta’s Nick Markakis for the major league lead. … Indians RF Melky Cabrera had two doubles and a single in his first major league game since June 13. … Cleveland LHP Ryan Merritt, who had a memorable start in the 2016 ALCS, cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Columbus. … Texas optioned RHP Ricardo Rodriguez to Round Rock.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: OF Bradley Zimmer (right shoulder), sidelined since mid-June, will miss another 8-12 months following arthroscopic surgery Friday in Dallas.
Rangers: LHP Alex Claudio (left-ankle sprain) was activated off the 10-day disabled list.
UP NEXT
Indians: Clevenger (7-5, 3.47) has the American League’s fifth-best road ERA (2.61), going 4-2.
Rangers: RHP Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 8.60) equaled a season high by allowing six earned runs in his previous start, an 8-4 loss at Boston on July 10.
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