DETROIT — Shane Bieber struck out 12 in seven one-hit innings, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 on Thursday.
Bieber (5-3) took a no-hit bid into the seventh before Jonathan Schoop led off with a home run to left. The Cleveland right-hander then struck out three more hitters and left after 103 pitches.
Eddie Rosario homered for the Indians, who helped Terry Francona to his 700th victory as Cleveland’s manager. Only Lou Boudreau (728) and Mike Hargrove (721) are ahead of him in franchise history.
Matthew Boyd (2-6) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings for the Tigers, who have lost five of six.
Bieber was trying to pitch the seventh no-hitter in the major leagues this season, which would have tied for the most since 1900 and been one shy of the mark set in 1884. It would have been Cleveland’s first since Len Barker threw a perfect game on May 15, 1981.
The Indians have the longest current no-hitter drought in the majors, although Cleveland has been on the other end of two of them this season — by Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox and Wade Miley of the Cincinnati Reds.
Bieber, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, allowed only one flyball out. He did have four walks, however.
Harold Ramirez drove in runs with a first-inning double and a sixth-inning single. Rosario added a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 4-0.
Rosario hit an RBI double in the ninth, and Detroit’s Victor Reyes hit a run-scoring triple in the bottom of the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: SS Amed Rosario (hand) and OF Jordan Luplow (ankle) missed the game. Cleveland recalled OF Bradley Zimmer from Triple-A Columbus and started him in center. The Indians optioned RHP Triston McKenzie to Columbus.
Tigers: C Grayson Greiner (left hamstring) began an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday night, hitting a double.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Eli Morgan is set to make his major league debut when Cleveland hosts Toronto on Friday night.
Tigers: Detroit starts a home series against the New York Yankees on Friday night. RHP Casey Mize (3-3) starts for the Tigers against RHP Gerrit Cole (6-2) in a matchup of former No. 1 overall draft picks.
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