Offense stirs, but Indians' skid at 5 games

The Indians have been used to setting records with the historic starts some of their starting pitchers had gotten off to, but on Saturday night, the team put together a streak that has been done only twice since the 2016 season. And this time, it’s not a feat to celebrate.

The Indians have been used to setting records with the historic starts some of their starting pitchers had gotten off to, but on Saturday night, the team put together a streak that has been done only twice since the 2016 season. And this time, it’s not a feat to celebrate.

For the first time since Tuesday, the offense was able to muster more than one run, but the Indians still fell to the Twins, 8-4, at Target Field, extending their losing streak to five consecutive games. The only time in the past five seasons Cleveland had also lost five straight contests was in the final five games to close out the 2019 season.

• Box score

The Indians usually have great success in games in which they are able to push more than two runs across the plate, owning a 21-3 record in those games entering Saturday, but a rare five-run outing by Zach Plesac, along with back-to-back homers off Nick Wittgren in the eighth, put the Indians in a hole they couldn’t dig out of.

Cleveland’s offense has been its biggest problem all season long, having scored two runs or fewer in 21 of its 46 games (46 percent). Although the Indians plated four runs, including a solo home run by José Ramírez, the offense was held to six hits. The bottom third of its lineup was a combined 0-for-11.