By Canadian Press

Shane Bieber flirts with no-hitter as Cleveland downs Blue Jays 4-0

Jul 24, 2019 | 7:51 PM

TORONTO — Shane Bieber pitched the second complete game shutout of his career while allowing just one hit, and the Cleveland Indians wrapped up a three-game road series with a 4-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old right-hander flirted with a no-hitter for most of the night.

He didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning — a lead-off double from Eric Sogard that drew loud applause from the 25,385 in attendance — and allowed just three base runners throughout the game, via a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the second inning and a hit by pitch to Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Bieber (10-3), who had pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in triple-A last May, struck out 10 to reach double-digit win totals for the second straight season.

Bieber’s last complete game shutout was on May 19 against Baltimore. Cleveland improved to 5-0 in his last five starts.

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It was the second straight game in which the Blue Jays (39-65) were no-hit through at least first four innings. Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning in Tuesday night’s game, an eventual 2-1 walkoff win for Toronto.

Kevin Plawecki drove in the first run of the game for Cleveland (59-42), which won two-of-three at Rogers Centre to improve to 6-1 against the Blue Jays this season.

Oscar Mercado added a sacrifice fly in the eighth before the Indians tacked on two more in the ninth on a Jordan Luplow ground-out and a Greg Allen single.

Marcus Stroman (6-11) was solid in what may have been his last start in a Toronto uniform. He allowed just one run and five hits with six strikeouts and one walk through seven innings. Stroman threw 100 pitches, 60 for strikes.

The 28-year-old right-hander has been mentioned in trade rumours for much of the season. The MLB trade deadline in July 31.

Greg Allen scored on a Plawecki double in the fifth inning, sliding under a close tag at home plate to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead. The Blue Jays challenged the umpire’s safe call and it was upheld after video review.

Cleveland doubled its lead in the eighth when Mercado’s sac fly to centre field scored Francisco Lindor. Lindor had reached on a one-out double off reliever Daniel Hudson before stealing third.

Both of Cleveland’s ninth-inning runs were charged to reliever Wilmer Font.

Toronto threatened in the seventh after Sogard’s double when Bieber hit Gurriel in the hand with a pitch. But Guerrero flied out to deep centre and Justin Smoak, the walk-off hero from Tuesday’s game, struck out to end the inning.

Gurriel made a nice defensive play in the fourth inning, sprinting and diving to snag a fly ball in foul territory for the second out.

NOTES: The Blue Jays are off Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays Friday night at Rogers Centre.

Melissa Couto, The Canadian Press