<p>CLEVELAND — Shane Bieber pitched out of some early trouble before extending his strikeout record and César Hernández hit a two-run homer, sending the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.</p>
<p>Bieber (4-2) struck out eight and has now fanned at least that many in 20 consecutive starts, a major league mark he builds on every time out. The right-hander’s streak was in jeopardy, but he got Nick Martini for strikeout No. 8 in the seventh.</p>
<p>The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner wasn’t as sharp as usual and needed a career-high 121 pitches to go 6 2-3 innings.</p>
<p>James Karinchak finished the seventh for Bieber and worked the eighth. Emmanuel Clase gave up two singles in the ninth, but got Matt Duffy to bounce into a game-ending double play for his seventh save.</p>
<p>Hernández homered in the fifth off Adbert Alzolay (1-3), who matched Bieber for six innings.</p>
<p>José Ramírez added a solo homer for the up-and-down Indians, who have been no-hit twice but won seven of eight.</p>
<p>Eric Sogard homered for the Cubs, who made Bieber work hard.</p>
<p>With his pitch count climbing in the seventh, Bieber gave up a leadoff walk to Joc Pederson and then won a nine-pitch battle with Martini to increase his record. On the strikeout, Bieber’s 117th pitch, Pederson was thrown out stealing by catcher Austin Hedges.</p>
<p>Hernández’s third homer pushed the Indians ahead 3-2.</p>
<p>With one out, Alzolay hit Andrés Giménez on the right hand with a pitch initially called a foul ball. Indians manager Terry Francona won a replay challenge, and after Giménez stole second, Hernández made Alzolay pay with his shot to right.</p>
<p>Sogard snapped a 1-1 tie in the fifth with his first homer since Aug. 29, when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers.</p>
<p>Bieber got ahead in the count and just missed striking out Sogard with a borderline 2-2 pitch that plate umpire Stu Scheurwater called a ball.</p>
<p>Sogard, who moved from second base to shortstop when starter Javier Báez was scratched from the starting lineup with lower back tightness, then drove a 3-2 pitch that just ducked inside the right-field foul pole.</p>
<p>Bieber’s first pitch was an early sign he might struggle.</p>
<p>Pederson ripped his 94 mph fastball back at the right-hander, who alertly snagged the comebacker, which had an exit velocity of 112 mph.</p>
<p>The Cubs scored once on Bieber in the second and were poised for a big inning. But he wriggled out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam by striking out Ildemaro Vargas and getting Sogard to ground into a double play.</p>
<p>SHOT IN THE ARMS</p>
<p>Francona said by Wednesday the Indians will reach the mandated 85% vaccination threshold, allowing them to ease some of MLB’s protocols for COVID-19.</p>
<p>“You can back off wearing a mask in the dugout,” he said. “Guys can play cards on the plane as long as they have a mask on. They can eat indoors. It’s helpful to guys getting some sense of normalcy back.”</p>
<p>DO-IT-ALL BRYANT</p>
<p>Chicago’s Kris Bryant has played five positions — third base, first and all three outfield spots. And, as far as the Cubs are concerned, he hasn’t once looked out of place.</p>
<p>“He doesn’t complain about it," outfielder Jake Marisnick said. “He goes out and does it, gets his work in and looks good at every position I’ve seen him play. It’s special.”</p>
<p>Bryant was lifted in the sixth because he “was under the weather," according to the Cubs.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Cubs: Marisnick went on the 10-day injured list with a “mild to moderate” right hamstring strain. He’s optimistic he’ll be back soon. … RHP Jake Arrieta (right thumb) was scheduled to throw a bullpen session in Cleveland. Barring any setbacks, he’ll likely come off the IL this week.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Indians rookie LHP Sam Hentges (1-0) makes his first career start after being rained out Sunday and faces Cubs RHP Zach Davies (2-2).</p>
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