Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer combined for a five-hitter, Francisco Lindor homered and scored twice, and Cleveland beat Kansas City.
Carrasco (16-10) was working with a limited pitch count in a tuneup before an anticipated start in Game 2 of the AL Division Series against Houston on Saturday. He went five innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking two and striking out six. Bauer took over in the sixth, hurling four scoreless innings of relief while striking out two for his first career save. Bauer ended the season with a 2.21 ERA, second in the AL to Tampa Bay’s
Blake Snell.
The Indians opened the scoring after Lindor led off the game by reaching on an error when Eric Skoglund (1-5) fumbled his grounder. After stealing second, Lindor then stole third and scored when Alcides Escobar failed to catch the throw to third for the second error of the inning.
Whit Merrifield beat out Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman for the Major League lead with 192. Merrifield also won the Major League stolen base title with 45 after winning last year’s American League title with 34.