Minor variation: Rangers top Tribe

Civale pitches well,

but Texas prevails

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

All-Star Mike Minor struck out seven over seven innings, Nomar Mazara drove in Elvis Andrus with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and the Texas Rangers beat the Cleveland Indians 1-0 Monday night.

Minor (10-6) allowed seven hits and walked one as Texas won its fifth straight. The left-hander is 3-0 in eight career appearances against Cleveland, giving up a single run in 231/3 innings.

Andrus started the fourth with a triple, coming home a batter later when Mazara flew out to short center. He easily beat the bouncing throw home from rookie Oscar Mercado.

Jesse Chavez worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Jose Leclerc pitched the ninth for his seventh save, stranding Jose Ramirez at third base after his leadoff double off the chalk in right. Leclerc retired Tyler Naquin, Jason Kipnis and Franmil Reyes to end the threat.

The Indians ended a three-game winning streak and fell to 4-3 on their nine-game homestand. Cleveland is 37-16 since June 4 and entered the day three games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota.

Indians starter Aaron Civale (1-1), recalled from Triple-A Columbus before the game, allowed a run in six innings and struck out seven in his second big league appearance. The right-hander tossed six scoreless innings against Detroit on June 22.

Civale threw 89 pitches and retired the final nine hitters he faced after Andrus’ triple. Andrus went 2 for 4, raising his average to .370 in 72 games against Cleveland.

Indians right fielder Yasiel Puig, acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline, went 2 for 4 and grounded into a double play.

Reyes struck out in his first two at-bats, giving him six whiffs in a row dating to Sunday. Jordan Luplow exited with a right hamstring cramp after stealing third in the seventh, when Cleveland had runners on first and third, but failed to score.

COOKIE MONSTER

Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco, who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia on June 2, is scheduled to throw bullpen sessions Wednesday and Saturday. “I think we all hope he can come back and pitch for us, but saying anything else isn’t fair to him,” manager Terry Francona said.

UP NEXT

Rangers: RHP Ariel Jurado (6-6, 4.92 ERA) will start on six days rest in his first career outing against Cleveland. He went 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in six July appearances.

Indians: RHP Zach Plesac (6-3, 3.41 ERA) has won three straight starts and leads AL rookies with a .215 opponent batting average. He is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA at home.