Indians hold off Angels to earn important sweep

ANAHEIM >> Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor homered, Carlos Carrasco won in relief and the Indians defeated the Angels, 4-3, on Sept. 11 to cap a successful trip.

Cleveland went 5-1 against Minnesota and Los Angeles and is half-game behind Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot. The Indians trail AL Central-leading Minnesota by four games heading into a three-game series at home against the Twins this weekend.

Carrasco (5-7), making his fifth appearance since being treated for leukemia, pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander threw 30 pitches, the most during his comeback.

With All-Star closer Brad Hand back in Cleveland for an MRI on his left arm, Indians manager Terry Francona used three pitchers to get through the ninth inning.

Nick Wittgren, Oliver Perez and Adam Cimber each got one out. Cimber struck out Albert Pujols with a runner on first for his first major league save.

The Indians wanted Hand checked because his velocity had been decreasing the past couple outings. Francona said the MRI was clean.

Los Angeles again played

without star outfielder Mike Trout.

Santana opened the scoring when he homered in the first off Dillon Peters (3-3). Lindor homered for the second straight night and for the fifth time this month.

Down 4-0, the Angels rallied. Shohei Ohtani snapped a 0-for-11 skid in the fifth when he lined Adam Plutko’s slider over the wall in right center for his 18th homer of the season. Kole Calhoun hit a solo homer in the eighth off Tyler Clippard.

Plutko — who helped lead UCLA to the College World Series title in 2013 — started for Cleveland and yielded two runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked two.

Trainer’s room

INDIANS >> 3B Jose Ramirez (right wrist) is still trying to grip the bat properly before resuming baseball activities.

ANGELS >> OF Justin Upton had an MRI after complaining of right knee discomfort and was held out of the lineup. He is 2 of 14 over the past four games . ... P Cam Bedrosian is being shut down for the rest of the season due to a right forearm strain.

Up next

INDIANS >> Are off Sept. 12 before RHP Aaron Civale (3-3, 1.93 ERA) takes the mound in the Sept. 13 opener against the Twins. ANGELS >> LHP Andrew Heaney (4-4, 4.30 ERA) gets the call Sept. 13 for the first of three games against the Rays.