Excitement high with Tribe on cusp of clinch

CLEVELAND — Trevor Bauer walked off the mound, hearing the Progressive Field audience grow louder with each of his steps. As he approached the dugout, the Indians pitcher looked up and saw the crowd on its feet, and he thanked them with a quick doffing of his cap.

Bauer worked into the eighth inning on Friday night, while the Tribe offense broke out with a flurry of runs, creating a combination that netted a 10-4 rout of the White Sox. The fans offering the standing ovation understood the gravity of the moment. Cleveland has not hoisted a division-clinching banner in nine years, but it is on the cusp of completing its journey to another crown.

With their magic number whittled down to three, the Indians can wrap up an American League Central title as early as Sunday.

“You play a lot of games during the season,” Bauer said. “And you have this goal out there in the future that you’re playing toward, and it doesn’t seem like that game makes a whole lot of a difference gaining toward that goal, because it’s such a small piece. Now that it’s here, that we’re three away from accomplishing that goal, there’s a lot of excitement that surrounds it.

“Even though every game is just as important, these ones feel a little bit more fun. There’s just a different atmosphere around it. It’s fun to be a part of, for sure.”

With a seven-game lead over the second-place Tigers, who are vying for an AL Wild Card spot, the division race is nearly over with nine games left on the Tribe’s schedule. Ask the players inside the clubhouse, and they will be quick to say …

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