Indians recount excitement of division clinch

DETROIT — Adrenaline was taking over for Roberto Perez. With two strikes on Detroit’s Cameron Maybin in the ninth inning on Monday night, the Indians catcher signaled for a fastball from closer Cody Allen, and waited anxiously for the pitch.

“My heart started throbbing,” Perez said Tuesday. “It was an awesome feeling, man. I couldn’t describe the feeling.”

Allen then unleashed a 95-mph fastball that put this season into the team’s history books. Maybin swung through the pitch, bringing an end to a 7-4 win for Cleveland and sealing the club’s first American League Central championship since 2007.

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Perez squeezed the ball with his glove, and then stood and pumped his fist. On the mound, Allen raised both arms in the air, as a gathering of Indians fans reacted raucously from behind the first-base dugout at Comerica Park. Perez walked to Allen and hugged the team’s closer, whose mind was racing in that surreal moment.

What was going …

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