Holding on to what they've got: Indians' playoff hopes are livin' on a prayer

CLEVELAND -- The Indians had one foot pushed through the elimination door on Tuesday. They are one loss and a miracle away from being pushed entirely through it in the next couple days.

With Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the Royals, Cleveland was officially eliminated from the Central Division race. Kansas City is up 4 1/2 games for the second wild card as the Tribe's elimination number is at one.

After winning 10 straight games to get a wild card berth last year, the Indians are stumbling toward the finish line this time.

"We're not finishing out the string yet. We're not eliminated. When they make us go home or tell us we're not eligible we'll make adjustments then," said Terry Francona when asked about the final four games. "Until then you keep playing. Don't misconstrue lack of effort or playing the string for guys not producing. That's not the case."

In the span of 48 hours though, the Tribe has gone from having a chance to make a late run to seeing one of their division rivals solidify their hopes of getting to the postseason for the first time since 1985.

"Of course it hurts, especially when it's someone inside your division," outfielder Michael Bourn said. "You don't want to see them be able to beat you out for a playoff spot and right now they are doing that. We're in a situation now where we have to win every game and they have to lose every game for us to make it and that's just for a tie. The probability of that happening is very tough."

After being shut out on Monday, the Indians were held to five hits on Tuesday. Michael Bourn, who had two of the hits, scored on a double play in the eighth to snap a 19-inning scoreless streak.

The Indians are batting .249 in September, which is 18 points lower than what they hit the final month of last season. So far in the series they are 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and have left 17 runners on base. Bourn, who was 1 for 4, had a chance to advance runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth, but grounded out to first.

"I feel like I missed a pitch to hit. It was nothing more than that," Bourn said. "It's not just me, as a collective unit we're not doing it. Sometimes we have hit the ball, a lot of times and it is going right at people. No one likes this feeling when you're at this position of the year."

Danny Salazar, who came into the game 5-3 with a 3.06 ERA since the All-Star break, resembled the pitcher who won only one of his first eight starts to the season before being demoted to Columbus. The right-hander struck out six of the first eight Royals he faced but in 4 2/3 innings never retired the lineup in order. Kansas City got two in the fourth on an Omar Infante double and then broke it open with three in the fifth on three doubles and two intentional walks.

Francona said Salazar threw a real good fastball the first time through the order and that his changeup early was the best they have seen. Then he started leaving pitches up and the fastball started getting more over the plate.

The rotation from the Tampa Bay series hasn't been set but Salazar said he will get one more start, which would appear to be Sunday's finale. With Trevor Bauer going on Wednesday, that could make the probables Corey Kluber on Friday, Carlos Carrasco on Saturday and then Salazar.

What the lineup would be is up in the air, especially for a team that is likely to be making travel plans to their offseason homes.

"It's tough. I'm not going to lie and say it's easy. You have to win, there's no other option," Bourn said.