Indians’ ‘pen makes history after key injury

CLEVELAND — The Tigers got a taste of the resiliency that has defined the Indians throughout this season on Saturday. Detroit ace Justin Verlander flirted with a no-hitter, but a Cleveland bullpen unexpectedly pressed into duty, following an injury to Carlos Carrasco, kept pace.

In a 1-0 walk-off win in 10 innings over Detroit, eight Tribe relievers combined for 10 scoreless innings and Jose Ramirez celebrated his birthday by delivering the decisive blow in the bottom of the 10th. With one out and the bases loaded, Ramirez sent a pitch from lefty Justin Wilson up the middle and into center, scoring the winning run and setting off an on-field mob.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Indians’ nine pitchers used to shut out Detroit are the most used by any Major League team in a complete-game shutout effort, dating back to 1876.

“Carrasco aside, that was a fun game to be a part of,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “There was so much good baseball going on, so much good pitching. Guys just continuing to put up zeros. Our bullpen, Verlander, there was a lot of good pitching going on.”

The win improved Cleveland’s record to 13-1 this season against Detroit, which now faces an eight-game deficit in the American League Central with 14 games left on the regular-season slate. The Indians’ magic number for clinching the division title was trimmed to seven, while the Tigers remained three games back of the second AL Wild Card after both Toronto and Baltimore also lost Saturday.

The Indians, who have been dealt with injuries to Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes and Danny Salazar already this year, lost Carrasco on Saturday before he could even record an out. The starter was struck on the right hand by a line drive from Ian Kinsler and fractured a bone in his pitching hand.

“Right when it happened,”Francona said, “I called [bullpen coach Jason Bere] down there and said, ‘Tell them to put their seat belts on, because they’re all going to pitch and we’re going to win.'”

Verlander’s bid for a third career no-hitter ended in the sixth inning, when Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis shot a pitch back up the middle for a no-doubt leadoff single. That ended an 0-for-14 start to the night for Cleveland, but Detroit’s ace buckled down, retired the side and continued on with his dominant performance.

That was the lone hit allowed by Verlander in seven scoreless innings, in which he struck out seven and dodged the potential harm of four walks. It marked his longest scoreless effort since May 24, when Verlander blanked the Phillies for eight innings in Detroit.

“It felt good to pitch [well] against them, yeah,” Verlander said. “But we lost, so … it still [stinks].”

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDCarrasco exits: Two pitches into Saturday’s game, Kinsler sent a sharp line drive back …

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