CLEVELAND _ The Indians fell to the Chicago White Sox 8-1 Saturday night at Progressive Field but still drew closer to clinching the American League Central.
Prior to the Indians' loss, the Detroit Tigers imploded in the ninth inning, allowing a five-run inning and losing to the Kansas City Royals 7-4. That loss drops the Indians' magic number to two.
A win on Sunday combined with a Tigers loss will allow the Indians to clinch the division at home. Otherwise, they'll have four chances to do so in Detroit next week.
On Saturday, the Indians' bats went quiet against White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana to the tune of one run and six hits in six innings. This was all during another attempt at a "bullpen game" as the Indians try to piece together every fifth game and get through the end of the regular season.
The Indians had their chances against Quintana early. Already trailing 2-0 with one out in the first inning, Jason Kipnis singled and Francisco Lindor and Mike Napoli each walked to load the bases. Carlos Santana, though, grounded into an inning-ending double play.
In the second, they again loaded the bases but could only come away with one run. Rajai Davis singled home a run to right field to make it 2-1, but Coco Crisp was caught too far off second base for the second out of the inning. Kipnis then grounded out to end the inning.
Cody Anderson started the game, although the Indians wanted him to treat it like a bullpen session instead of pitching several innings. Anderson gave up a lead-off single to Tim Anderson in the first and then an RBI double to Melky Cabrera. Jose Abreu followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Anderson pitched two innings before being taken out in favor of Jeff Manship (1 2/3 scoreless innings) and Kyle Crockett (one batter, one strikeout). Perci Garner and Shawn Armstrong each pitched an inning and gave up a run, the latter allowing a solo home run to Todd Frazier that made it 4-1 in the sixth.
The White Sox tacked on in the eighth, although it at least gave Adam Plutko a chance to make his major league debut.
Austin Adams gave up two runs in the inning before Plutko entered the game with runners on the corners. Leury Garcia greeted him with an RBI single to make it 7-1. A wild pitch brought home another run.
The eighth Indians pitcher of the night, Plutko ended up going 1 2/3 innings and recorded his first career strikeout.
