Indians clinch crown despite Kluber’s injury
DETROIT — The Cleveland Indians clinched the American League Central title Monday night, overcoming an injury to ace right-hander Corey Kluber in a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Kluber left after four innings with right groin tightness, joining Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar in a group of talented Cleveland pitchers dealing with injuries. But even those concerns were secondary when the Indians poured onto the field to celebrate their first division title since 2007.
Cleveland last made the postseason in 2013 as a wild card.
Coco Crisp and Roberto Perez homered for the Indians, and Jason Kipnis doubled in a run.
Buck Farmer (0-1) allowed four runs in five innings for the Tigers, who fell two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.
Andrew Miller (10-1) won in relief, and Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his 30th save in 33 chances.
It was fitting that Cleveland clinched the division with a head-tohead victory over the Tigers, because that’s how the Central was won. The 8th. Indians are 14-2 against Detroit with three games left in the season series.
Cleveland also has been solid against other teams, of course. The Indians won 14 games in a row from June 17 to July 1, a run that coincided with the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the NBA title to end the city’s 52-year championship drought. The Indians are aiming to win the World Series for the first time since 1948.
YANKEES 7, BLUE JAYS 5 Mark Teixeira hit a tying home run in the ninth inning and Aaron Hicks added a winning shot as visiting New York avoided a four-game sweep. Leading 3-2 heading to the ninth, Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons called on Jason Grilli (7-6) to close it out because Roberto Osuna was unavailable after pitching the previous two days. Teixeira tied it at 3-3 with a one-out drive into the second deck drive in right. Didi Gregorius singled and Hicks followed with a two-run home run. Adam Warren (42) got the victory behind two perfect innings.
WHITE SOX 7, RAYS 1 James Shields pitched six effective innings for his first victory in two months, Justin Morneau and Carlos Sanchez each hit a tworun home run and host Chicago beat Tampa Bay. Shields (6-18) allowed 1 run and 7 hits, using 6 strikeouts to help wriggle out of several jams and help Chicago win its third consecutive. Tampa Bay’s Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) allowed 3 runs and 7 hits over 5 innings, losing for the first time since July 18 at Colorado to drop to 7-12.
MARINERS 4, ASTROS 3 (11) Robinson Cano hit his second home run of the game with two outs in the 11th inning, lifting visiting Seattle over Houston. The Astros scored two runs in the ninth, but Cano sent a slider from Luke Gregerson (4-3) into the second deck in right field for the winning run. The victory moves Seattle two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card and drops Houston, which has lost four of five, to 3½ games back in the race. Drew Storen (4-3) pitched a perfect 10th for the victory. Nick Vincent allowed consecutive singles to Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa before he retired the next two batters for his third save.