CLEVELAND — CLEVELAND (AP) — César Hernández's RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning helped the Indians rally for third third walk-off win in four days, a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Tribe's sixth straight win kept their hopes alive for winning the AL Central. Before the comeback, the Indians had only one hit.
Pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow and Delino DeShields drove in runs before Hernández took his turn at being a hero, roping a two-bagger down the right field line. Heading into the final two games of the regular season, Cleveland now sits second in the AL with the league's fourth playoff seed.
Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller pitched five no-hit innings, although he walked eight and was pulled after throwing 98 pitches. He's the first NL pitcher with back-to-back no-hit outings of at least five innings since Johnny Vander Meer threw consecutive no-hitters in 1938.
The two teams will play the second of a three-game series Saturday at 7:10 p.m., with Aaron Civale (4-5, 3.99 ERA) starting for the Indians against the Pirates' Joe Musgrove (0-5, 4.68). Civale is expected to be on a limited pitch count, as he will move to the bullpen for the AL Wild Card Series that begins Tuesday.
