Indians Win 16th Consecutive Game; Tie MLB's 2nd-Longest Streak in Last 50 Years

The Cleveland Indians already set a franchise record with their current winning streak, and they extended it to 16 in a row with a 5-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.  

According to MLB Network, Cleveland tied the second-longest winning streak by an MLB team in the last 50 years:

Mike Clevinger pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven in Friday's victory. Edwin Encarnacion also homered for the second straight game as he gave the Indians a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. 

While the Indians are getting hot at the right time, the MLB Network graphic illustrates how a prolonged regular-season winning streak is far from a great indicator as to a team's postseason success.

The 2002 Oakland Athletics won an MLB-record 20 games in a row and finished a half-game back of the New York Yankees in the American League standings. That year culminated with an American League Division Series exit in five games at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.

The 2000 Atlanta Braves, winners of 15 in a row, also got swept out of the National League Division Series. Meanwhile, the 2001 Seattle Mariners, who not only had a 15-game winning streak but also tied the record for regular-season victories (116), lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series in five games.