CLEVELAND _ Friday night kicked off a frantic, nine-game sprint for the postseason between the Indians and the Tampa Bay Rays. So far, the Indians have taken care of business.
And if the Indians do end up earning a playoff spot, Friday night's game might serve as the ideal script. Shane Bieber delivered a strong outing and was still on the mound in the eighth, which was enough to lift the Indians to a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night at Progressive Field.
Bieber allowed two runs, both coming in the fifth with the Indians (91-63) leading 4-0, on seven hits t go with seven strikeouts and zero walks in 7 1/3 innings. Bieber, the All-Star Game MVP, walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd as the playoff chase heats up and every outing becomes crucial.
Bieber on Friday night also became just the fourth Indians pitcher to record at least 250 strikeouts in his age-24 season or younger, joining Bob Feller (1940, 1941), Herb Score (1956) and Sam McDowell (1965).
The Indians' lineup quickly handed Bieber a four-run lead with back-to-back two-run innings to start the game.
Francisco Lindor led off the first with a walk and came around to score on Oscar Mercado's double off the top of the 19-foot wall in left-center. Yasiel Puig followed two batters later with an RBI single.
An inning later, Andrew Velazquez walked, stole second base and scored on Lindor's single to right field. Mercado scored in a similar way, reaching on a fielder's choice, stealing second and scoring via a Carlos Santana single to give the Indians a 4-0 advantage.
Bieber stifled the Phillies (78-74) until the top of the fifth. Brad Miller, who broke camp with the Indians this season, led off the inning with a double. After an Adam Haseley single, Maikel Franco brought home both runners with a double to left.
Mercado, who entered Friday night with a .323/.395/.523 slash line in September, added an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to score Yu Chang and put the Indians on top 5-2.
Carlos Carrasco's move to the bullpen hasn't quite gone to plan, but he recorded arguably the biggest outs of his season in the eighth. Carrasco relieved Oliver Perez with two outs and a runner on. Carrasco walks Rhys Hoskins to bring up Jay Bruce, who was representing the tying run. Carrasco induced the ground ball he needed, and Lindor made an easy play to escape the inning with the 5-2 lead intact.
Carrasco went on to earn the save, his first since 2014.
