Perez has been used mostly as a setup man this season, and, indeed, he has been the only Indians reliever who has pitched close to his level of last year, when the Indians had one of the best bullpens in the league.

Wedge has said one of the team's priorities in the remainder of this season is to determine if any of the relievers on the staff could be used as a closer next season.

Nobody has stepped forward to this point, although Perez might be in the midst of making a bid for the job now. Normally, Wedge would have brought in Masa Kobayashi to pitch the ninth inning Monday. But Perez pitched so well in the eighth that Wedge allowed him to pitch the ninth as well, and Perez responded by retiring all six batters he faced in the two innings, needing just 15 pitches to get the six outs.

That kind of efficiency, coupled with Perez's devastating slider, moves him to the head of the pack as Indians officials try to determine whether anyone currently in the organization can be a candidate to be the closer next year.

INDIANS 5, RAYS 2: LHP Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings to become the American League's first 15-game winner as the Indians beat Tampa Bay for the 21st time in their last 23 meetings. Lee improved his record to 15-2 by holding the Rays to two runs on seven hits, and LHP Rafael Perez was outstanding, retiring all six batters he faced to get the two-inning save. OF David Dellucci and 2B Asdrubal Cabrera both homered, and red-hot C Kelly Shoppach had two more hits and two more RBI.