CLEVELAND (AP) – Indians manager Terry Francona admitted his team didn’t have much going through six innings Friday night.

A four-run seventh quickly reversed that and resulted in a 5-3 win over the Oakland Athletics.

“We were quiet up until then,” Francona said after the comeback win that helped Cleveland maintain a 4 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central.

Abraham Almonte scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch as Cleveland erased a 3-1 deficit. Jason Kipnis’ bases-loaded single tied it, and Almonte scored from third on Ryan Dull’s wild pitch one batter later.

“We started getting some traffic out there,” Francona said. “That can kind of change the game a little bit.”

Cody Anderson (2-4) pitched a scoreless seventh.

Cody Allen worked out of ninth-inning trouble for his 20th save. He allowed a pair of one-out singles in the ninth, but struck out Jed Lowrie before Josh Reddick flied out to deep center.

Reddick, who homered in the sixth, drove a pitch that Tyler Naquin caught on the warning track to end the game.

“I think Naquin was probably the only guy from Cleveland who knew that ball wasn’t going to quite get out,” Allen said. “It was a little nerve-racking, but those things happen.”

Kendall Graveman (7-7) allowed four runs – three earned – in 6 1/3 innings and lost for the first time since May 19.

Carlos Santana homered in the sixth for Cleveland.

Shortstop Marcus Semien’s error on Rajai Davis’ one-out grounder started the go-ahead rally. Naquin followed with a single before Almonte’s pinch-hit single scored Davis and finished Graveman.

Marc Rzepczynski walked Santana to load the bases before Kipnis’ bloop hit to left tied it. Dull’s wild pitch with Francisco Lindor batting scored Almonte and put Cleveland ahead. Lindor’s sacrifice fly made it 5-3.

Oakland manager Bob Melvin praised Graveman’s outing.

“He was cruising along, he gets the first guy out and Davis gets on,” Melvin said. “Naquin does a good piece of hitting and he elevates the first ball to Almonte. We want to turn Santana around and walk him and then make a good pitch to Kipnis, base hit, next thing you know, we’re in a little bit of trouble.”

The Indians had lost four of five and were 8-12 since winning a franchise-record 14 straight going into Friday.

“We scored late,” Allen said. “Championship teams, you see a lot of, they score late and their bullpen holds down leads.”

Khris Davis also homered in the sixth for Oakland.

Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer allowed two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

ROTATION SWITCH

Oakland LHP Rich Hill, the subject of trade rumors, was scratched from Sunday’s start because he’s still bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his left hand. RHP Sonny Gray will start Sunday on his regular turn.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Hill hasn’t pitched since July 17, a start in which he threw only five pitches. He could be headed to the 15-day disabled list.

Indians: RHP Jeff Manship (wrist tendinitis) was put on the 15-day DL. RHP Zach McAllister was activated from the DL. He’d been sidelined with a sore right hip.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP Dillon Overton will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Saturday against the Indians. He’s 1-1 with an 8.40 ERA in three starts.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (10-3, 3.48 ERA) makes his third career start against Oakland on Saturday. He lost his last start against Baltimore, allowing four runs in six innings.