Indians blank Angels

Cleveland Indians' Matt LaPorta, left, celebrates his three-run home run with Austin Kearns against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning Monday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mitch Talbot took a shutout into the ninth inning and the Cleveland Indians got home runs from Asdrubal Cabrera and Matt LaPorta to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 Monday night for their eighth straight win.

The winning streak is Cleveland’s longest since a 10-game stretch in August 2008. The Indians, coming off a sweep at Seattle, have started out 4-0 on the road for the first time since 1998 (6-0). Their 8-2 start overall is their best since 2002, when they won 12 of their first 13.

Talbot (1-0) came within three outs of his first big league shutout, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out four. He was lifted by manager Manny Acta after Bobby Abreu led off the ninth with a double on Talbot’s 112th pitch.

Vinnie Pestano retired the final three batters in order.

Angels starter Tyler Chatwood gave up four runs, four hits and four walks in five innings in his major league debut.

The 21-year-old right-hander was promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake when Dan Haren’s scheduled start was pushed back a day. Haren had pitched an inning of relief to get the win in the Angels’ 14-inning, 6-5 victory over Toronto on Saturday night.

Chatwood was the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year last season, and has just 6 2-3 innings of Triple-A experience.

Cabrera, the Indians’ No.2 hitter, drove Chatwood’s eighth pitch of the game over the center field fence on a 3-1 count and LaPorta added a three-run shot in the second. Chatwood walked the bases loaded in the fifth and went to 3-2 on Shin-Soo Choo before retiring him on an inning-ending double-play grounder to second base.

Angels reliever Scott Downs was activated after opening the season on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken big toe on his left foot and made his Angels debut with a perfect eighth inning. The 35-year-old left-hander signed a three-year, $15 million contract as a free agent in December after spending his first six big league seasons with Toronto.

Notes: Cabrera has four homers, one more than he hit last season in 381 at-bats. He missed two months with a broken left forearm. ... Mark Langston threw a ceremonial first pitch on the 21st anniversary of his Angels debut, when he pitched seven innings of a combined no-hitter with Mike Witt against Seattle at the Big A against Seattle. ... Angels C Hank Conger made his third start of the season. He was behind the plate for Chatwood’s only Triple-A start of last season, when Chatwood allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings. ... The Indians’ Class A Lake County club in the Midwest League got a combined no-hitter Monday night from Trey Haley, Francisco Jimenez and Clayton Elhert against Dayton. ... Chatwood was trying to become the second-youngest pitcher since 2000 to win in his big league debut. The youngest pitcher to do it was Angels teammate Scott Kazmir, on Aug. 23, 2004 with Tampa Bay. ... In his only other start against the Angels, Talbot gave up a run over 6 1-3 innings in 9-2 win at Anaheim on April 27, 2010.