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. Jakob Poeltl Jersey .C. -- North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said his team had a "golden" opportunity to help its NCAA tournament chances. Jakob Poeltl Spurs Jersey . Josh Mazzola drove in five runs to lead the Goldeyes (20-12) past the Capitales 11-5 Friday night at Le Stade Municipal in Quebec City. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Quinndary-Weatherspoon-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - On the bright side, either the Minnesota Wild or Buffalo Sabres will end their losing streak on Thursday night. Custom San Antonio Spurs Jerseys . Neither made it that far in 2013. Not even close. Federer lost his second match at the All England Club. Nadal exited in the first round, a year after bowing out in the second. Trey Lyles Spurs Jersey .com) - Sixth-seeded Feliciano Lopez was a first-round winner on Monday at the Delray Beach Open tennis event.CALGARY -- The Calgary Stampeders take pride in their culture of "plug-in-and-play". When injury forces a player from the lineup, the replacement is expected to excel and help the team win. The Stampeders look to go 5-0 to start a season for the first time since 1995 when the B.C. Lions (2-3) come to town Friday (TSN, 10pm et/7pm pt). And with Calgarys star running back Jon Cornish and backup tailback Matt Walter out with concussion symptoms, it appears former CFL rookie of the year Martell Mallett will play in his first football game since 2009. The 28-year-old from Pine Bluff, Ark., rushed for 1,240 yards for the Lions in 2009, including a 136-yard performance in a game against the Stampeders, to earn that rookie award. Mallett then headed to the NFL where he got looks on practice rosters in Philadelphia, Cleveland and New York, but no games. The six-foot, 208-pound running back returned to Canada in 2012 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. A torn Achilles tendon suffered in training camp wiped out the season and the Tiger-Cats released him prior to training camp the following year. Signed as a free agent in January, Mallett came off Calgarys practise roster this week for some first-team reps. The Stampeders picked up running back Hugh Charles as insurance Monday following his release from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Mallett has been with the Stampeders since training camp and is more familiar with Calgarys offensive schemes. "I look at it as a blessing," Mallett said Tuesday. "Its been a while since I played football. Ive been here, learning the playbook, learning the system and it just came down to my time to go. Thats why Im here, for depth." Cornish, the CFLs most valuable player last season and rushing leader the past two, went on the six-game injured list last week still suffering the effects of getting knocked out in the season opener. In his absence, regular returner Jock Sanders led Calgary in rushing yards with 86 on 16 carries in last Thursdays 26-22 win over Edmonton. Walters left that game in the first quarter. Mallett has a degree in agriculture business from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. His post-football ambition is to work for U.S. Fish and Wildlife as a special agent chasing down poachers. "I grew up in a country town.dddddddddddd. I love hunting and I love fishing, but I hate it when people break the rules," he said. Malletts brother Michael was shot and killed in their home town in 2012 while Mallett was recovering from his Achilles surgery. Michael is one reason Mallett isnt done with football and moving onto to his next career. "If my brother was here, he would want me to continue to play football," Mallett said. "With that in consideration and my youth, I just feel like I can do it. I have a lot of miles left on me. I havent played a whole lot." The Stampeders went 14-4 in 2013 with a three-man rotation at starting quarterback and receivers constantly in and out of the lineup. "Thats been in our biggest thing the last couple of years. Guys plug in and play," defensive back Keon Raymond said. "Weve probably been one of the most injury-prone teams over the last couple years Ive been here, but we havent missed a beat. One of Calgarys three starting quarterbacks last season returns to McMahon Stadium on Friday in a Lions uniform. Kevin Glenn went 10-3 for the Stampeders before he was taken in the expansion draft by the Ottawa Redblacks and subsequently traded to the Lions. Charles has taken reps and worked with the return team in two practices since his arrival in Calgary. Hes been cut this season by both the Roughriders and the Edmonton Eskimos, for whom hes played a combined 55 career games. The Eskimos released him from training camp. The 28-year-old from Tulsa, Okla., compiled 86 yards on 13 carries in his one game July 12 for Saskatchewan, but a fumble that led to a Lions field goal likely cost him his job there. "That was the majority of it. I was there to prove a point and I just didnt get it done," Charles said. "They put me in that spot for a reason and I didnt come through and they pulled the plug. "Its nice to be wanted. Its been a roller-coast this year and a trying year for sure. We all go through it as a pro athlete and in this business. Im old enough to not take anything personal and to know the deal and the situation when things go down. "My whole career has been about proving and myself. Its nothing new." ' ' '