Phillies Fall To Indians To Once Again Fail To Gain Ground In Wild Card Race
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Carlos Carrasco got his first save in five years, and the Cleveland Indians beat Philadelphia 5-2 Friday night to maintain position for the second AL wild card and damage the Phillies' playoff chances.
Cleveland's fifth straight win eliminated the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox from postseason contention. No team has repeated since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000.
Cleveland (91-63) began the night tied with Tampa Bay for the second wild card, two games behind Oakland. The Indians were four games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota.
Philadelphia began the night three games behind Milwaukee for the second NL wild card and lost for the fourth time in six games.
All-Star MVP Shane Bieber (15-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Carrasco retired Jay Bruce with two on to end the eighth and pitched a perfect ninth for his second big league save, his first since June 16, 2014 against the Los Angeles Angels. Carrasco was diagnosed with leukemia in June and made his eighth appearance with the Indians since returning Sept. 1.
Rookie Oscar Mercado had RBI singles in the first and seventh. Yasiel Puig, Francisco Lindor and Carlos Santana also drove in runs, helping Cleveland to its fifth straight win
Drew Smyly (4-7) allowed four runs, five hits and three walks in two-plus innings. The left-hander gave up five hits, walked three and was pulled following a leadoff walk to Puig in the third.
Makiel Franco hit a two-run double in the fifth.
Puig fouled a ball off his lower left leg in the sixth. He went to the ground but remained in the game after talking with manager Terry Francona and a team athletic trainer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: SS Jean Segura (sore ankle) was scratched from the lineup about an hour before game time. He was removed from Thursday's game in Atlanta after beating out an infield hit in the sixth inning.
Indians: Francona said he was stunned how well 3B José Ramírez looked Thursday in his first batting practice session since breaking his right hand last month. Ramírez, who had surgery Aug. 26, will take BP again Saturday. It's unclear if he will return before the regular season ends.
UP NEXT
Phillies: LHP Jason Vargas (9-5, 4.24 ERA) has pitched three innings in each of his last two starts, allowing nine runs — six earned — with nine strikeouts.
Indians: Rookie RHP Zach Plesac (8-6, 3.64 ERA) is coming off his first big league shutout, against the Los Angeles Angels.
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