CLEVELAND _ The Indians, hoping to chase down the Tampa Bay Rays for the second wild card spot, were gifted a three-game series with the rebuilding Detroit Tigers and on Thursday night, they completed the sweep behind a combined shutout and a towering home run off the bat of Franmil Reyes.
The win brings the Indians (90-63) into a tie with the Rays in the race for the final spot in the American League playoffs with nine games remaining. The Rays entered Thursday with a 0.5-game lead but were off on Thursday night.
It also brings the Indians' record against the Tigers (45-107) this season to 18-1, which includes a 17-game winning streak against Detroit, the longest such streak in franchise history.
Starting pitcher Mike Clevinger blanked the Tigers over six innings, scattering seven hits and walking just one. He also struck out six. Clevinger has now allowed three or fewer earned runs in 14 of his final 15 starts dating back to July 3.
Franmil Reyes was out of the lineup for a few days tending to a family matter. He had the Indians' blessing to take more time but returned to the lineup on Thursday night and announced his presence in a big way, launching a two-run home run in the fourth inning off Tigers pitcher Drew VerHagen that landed two-thirds of the way up the bleachers in left field. The home run, Reyes' 35th of the season, gave the Indians a 4-0 lead. Earlier in the inning, Yasiel Puig drove in Carlos Santana with a double.
An inning later, Oscar Mercado and Roberto Perez each continued their hot streaks in September. Mercado entered Thursday night with a .323/.389/.532 slash line this month and in the fifth singled home Francisco Lindor after he opened the inning with a double. Roberto Perez, who entered Thursday with a .385/.442/.564 slash line later came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two-run single back up the middle that pushed the Indians' lead to 7-0.
Tyler Clippard, James Hoyt and James Karinchak each pitched an inning to close out the game.
The Indians close out their home slate in this regular season with a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies starting on Friday before going on the road to face the Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals.
