MINNEAPOLIS -- The Cleveland Indians kept their edge in the AL wild-card race. They mightve lost their struggling closer. Reliever Joe Smith struck out pinch-hitter Oswaldo Arcia to stop a ninth-inning rally by Minnesota, and the Indians won their seventh straight game, holding off the Twins 6-5 on Thursday night after Chris Perez gave up four runs in the final frame. "It didnt go as planned, but the good news is we won, and thats what we set out to do," a rattled manager Terry Francona said. "That got a little closer than we wanted." Cleveland leads Texas by one game for the second wild-card spot. Each team has three games left in the regular season. Tampa Bay is on top in the chase, one game ahead of the Indians. Bryan Shaw (7-3) picked up the victory in relief of Zach McAllister by getting five key outs over the fifth and sixth innings. Yan Gomes hit a towering two-run homer off Twins starter Andrew Albers (2-5), and Michael Brantley added three hits and two RBIs from the leadoff spot. The Indians were cruising again until Perez came in for what looked like mop-up duty in the ninth. But Alex Presley hit an RBI triple, Brian Dozier drove in another run with a groundout, Josmil Pinto hit a two-run homer and suddenly the Twins were within one. Smith entered and gave up an infield single and a walk before fanning Arcia on three pitches for his third save. Perez has walked a tightrope on and off the field this season, and most of the time hes been in the news its been negative. The most glaring this year was his arrest for a marijuana delivery to his house. Francona measured his words carefully after the game when asked about Perezs status as the closer, but he hinted at a change. "You know what? I think well always figure out a way to win. Thats kind of the way I always view it," Francona said. Smith, Shaw and Justin Masterton are other options for the ninth-inning role. The manager said Perez poked his head in the office and apologized for his performance. "Well see. He felt bad. He was actually very team-oriented. Thats what youre looking for," Francona said. "Hes having a tough time, and hes owning up to it, and he doesnt want to cost us wins." Francona added: "Were not a team made of one person. Well figure it out." Perez has a 7.52 ERA in August and September, with 30 hits and seven homers allowed in 20 1-3 innings. "Anytime your closer is struggling a little bit, its tough," McAllister said. "Hes a great pitcher. Hes been great for his whole career. You dont become All-Stars for no reason. He knows how to pitch, and hell be ready." McAllister had a shutout intact despite allowing runners on in every inning. After a walk and a single with one out in the fifth, Shaw was summoned and got Ryan Doumit on a double-play grounder. McAllister gave up six hits and two walks. This was the right-handers shortest start in September, and the 68 pitches were his second-lowest total of 24 starts this season. "You definitely want to have that chance to get the win out there and stay in the game as long as you can, but its September now," McAllister said. "We have a lot of guys in the bullpen, and every games an important one. So you cant question anything." Shaw is 5-0 in 13 appearances this month, and hasnt permitted a run in 15 1-3 innings. Francona said he wanted to leave McAllister in but couldnt. "I just thought it was time. If Id have been managing with my heart, I wouldve left him in," Francona said. The Indians caught quite a break with their September schedule, facing the teams with the three worst records in the league in 14 of their final 17 games: the Twins, White Sox and Astros. The Twins have won a mere four of their last 21 home games since mid-August. Theyve lost 17 of 22 overall. The Twins had to watch their opponents celebrate division-clinching wins in each of the last two series, in Oakland and then Detroit here in their own ballpark. Theyll have to win a couple of games this weekend to prevent another party at Target Field. "Like the way they finished and got after it," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Just needed one more hit." NOTES: The Indians will start RHP Corey Kluber (10-5, 3.61 ERA) on Friday night against LHP Pedro Hernandez (3-2, 6.05 ERA). Kluber has won a career-best four straight decisions. ... The Indians kept CF Michael Bourn out again with a sprained right wrist. He was available to run but not hit. Anthony Kay Blue Jays Jersey . Howard hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night. Anthony Alford Jersey . Van Slyke drove in a career-high four runs with two homers off struggling left-hander Tony Cingrani, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled away to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, a rare comfortable win in their pitching-dominated series. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/1336h-rickey-henderson-jersey-blue-jays.html . -- Kenneth Faried made a turnaround hook shot over Draymond Green with a half-second remaining, and the Denver Nuggets made Golden State wait at least one more game to secure a playoff berth with a stunning 100-99 win over the Warriors on Thursday night. Tony Fernandez Blue Jays Jersey . – Team Canadas Brooke Henderson carded a 4-under 67 at Craigowan Golf and Country Club to jump into the lead at the Canadian Womens Amateur Championship on Wednesday. Carlos Delgado Blue Jays Jersey . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.MILAN - Juventus maintained its charge to a third successive Serie A title as it won 1-0 at 10-man Catania in a fiery match in Serie A on Sunday. Carlos Tevez scored the only goal of the game to take him level with Torino striker Ciro Immobile at the top of the scoring charts. Catania was forced to play with 10 men for much of the second half after Gonzalo Bergessio was dismissed following a second booking. Both coaches were also sent to the stands for protests during the first period. Juventus restored its 14-point lead over Roma, which has a game in hand. "I think the referee wanted to give a warning to the players, by sending off the managers and calming things down a bit," Conte said. "The match was very heated and we were good to keep a cool head. "I am very proud of the lads. We are playing at extraordinary levels, but we have to give credit to Roma, which is doing something incredible. So we have to stay awake because nothing is over and decided yet." Earlier, Fiorentina snatched a late 1-0 win at 10-man Napoli to boost its chances of sneaking into the Champions League. Inter Milan is four points further back after a last-minute goal consigned it to a 2-1 loss at home to Atalanta. Parma is level, but with a game in hand, after it drew 1-1 with Genoa in the lunchtime kickoff. "It was the perfect day, seeing as we opened up a gap on those behind us and got closer to third spot," Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella said. "It will be difficult to reach because Napoli is strong and has a big advantage. But well try right until the end." Lazio is five points off a European spot after being held to a 1-1 draw by AC Milan. Hellas Veronas European bid was dented again as it lost 5-0 at Sampdoria. Elsewhere, Udinese beat Sassuolo 1-0 and Bologna won a relegation fight against Cagliari by the same score. It was top against bottom in Serie A and 55 points separated Juventus and Catania going into the match. Tension was high from the start as the Juventus bus was pelted with objects on its way to the stadium. Juventus struggled but broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark. Pablo Osvaldo nodded back a long ball from Andrea Pirlo for Tevez to race forward and fire home an angled drive for his 16th goal of the season.dddddddddddd Both Napoli and Fiorentina were in need of a confidence boost after crashing out of the Europa League midweek. Faouzi Ghoulam was controversially dismissed in the 37th minute after bringing down Marko Bakic on the edge of the area and Joaquin headed home the winner two minutes from time. Fiorentina moved seven points behind third-place Napoli. There was also a late goal in Milan, where Giacomo Bonaventura scored his second of the game 10 seconds from time when he was left completely unmarked at the far post to head a free kick between Samir Handanovics legs. Mauro Icardi had cancelled out Bonaventuras opener within 60 seconds in the first half. To celebrate he held up a T-shirt dedicated to his girlfriend Wanda Nera, the ex-wife of former Sampdoria teammate Maxi Lopez. Inter should have sealed the match in the second half but Fredy Guarin smashed a shot off the crossbar and Rodrigo Palacio sent a glancing header onto the left upright. Both sides could have snatched the win. Inters Jonathan cleared off the line three minutes from time before chipping the ball off the underside of the crossbar at the other end. Atalanta also hit the woodwork in the first half, when German Denis headed Bonaventuras cross off the crossbar. Parma maintained its charge toward a European spot as it extended its club record unbeaten run to 17 matches. Milan coach Clarence Seedorf was under pressure with seven defeats in his 12 matches in charge. His side took the lead two minutes from halftime when Abdoulay Konko deflected Kakas shot into his own net. However, Alvaro Gonzalez headed in the equalizer on the hour. Substitute Mario Balotelli was unlucky as his effort hit the right post eight minutes from time. At Udinese, captain Antonio Di Natale scored his 10th goal of the season to ensure he reached double figures in goals for the eighth consecutive season. It was a good way to mark his 324th league appearance for Udinese — a new club record. Di Natale could have had a second but kicked up a chunk of turf as he ballooned a penalty over the bar. Sassuolo also missed a penalty kick. ' ' '