Indians on brink of elimination after 8-2 loss at Washington

WASHINGTON — The Cleveland Indians are in danger of sitting out the postseason for the first time since 2015, pushed to the brink of elimination from the AL wildcard race Friday night with an 8-2 loss to the playoff-bound Washington Nationals.

Manager Terry Francona’s Indians won the AL Central each of the past three years, but they spent most of this season in second place behind the Minnesota Twins, who took over the division lead for good on Aug. 13.

The Indians began the day third in the wild-card standings — behind Oakland and Tampa Bay — and in need of both a victory and some help. They knew they’d be eliminated with the combination of a loss to Washington and a win by the Rays at Toronto.

Gerardo Parra had four RBIs to lead the Nationals to their sixth straight win. The Indians have lost three straight, totaling just two runs and seven hits in the last two, and their loss clinched a wildcard berth for Oakland.

When Cleveland’s loss closed, Tampa Bay was leading Toronto 5-2 in the eighth.

Asked beforehand whether he’d talked to his players about where things stood, Indians manager Terry Francona replied: “They can add. They know what’s going on.”

Washington also had reason to keep an eye on the out-of-town scores posted on Nationals Park’s right-field videoboard.

The Nationals clinched a playoff berth Tuesday and will participate in the NL wild-card game next week. What’s still undecided, though, is who the Nationals’ opponent will be and whether they’ll play at home or on the road: The Milwaukee Brewers began Friday one game behind them in the league’s wild-card standings.

Parra broke a 2-all tie for Washington with a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Nick Goody (3-2), and Asdrúbal Cabrera followed with a double that added two more runs. Goody was then replaced by Adam Cimber, who promptly served up Trea Turner’s 19th homer of the year, a two-run shot to left that made it 7-2.

Parra also hit two-run dou- ble off Zach Plesac in the second, and a solo homer off Dan Otero in the eighth.

AP/PATRICK SEMANSKY Washington Nationals’ Kurt Suzuki (bottom) gestures after scoring in front of teammate Howie Kendrick on Gerardo Parra’s double on Friday in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians in Washington.