The Cleveland Guardians clinched one of the top two spots in the American League playoffs with a 6-1 win over Cincinnati last night.

That means Cleveland will avoid the dangerous wild card round, in which a great team could easily lose a best-of-three series.

Tanner Bibee (12-8) pitched like an ace for seven innings, giving up just four hits and a run while striking out seven.

GET THE CROWD GOING

Cleveland fired up the fans by jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first inning off the Reds’ Carson Spiers (5-7).

Kyle Manzardo blasted his fifth homer of the year to right field.

Three batters later, Lane Thomas hit his 15th homer, a line drive onto the left-field porch with Jose Ramirez on base.

Cincinnati scored its only run in the fourth inning on a single by left fielder Spencer Steer.

LET’S GET COMFORTABLE

Josh Naylor padded the lead and his RBI total (107) with a double in the fifth and a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Thomas finished the scoring in the seventh with a groundout to score Ramirez.

Cleveland also retained possession of the Ohio Cup over the Reds for the 10th straight year.

The Buckeye State rivals will finish their mini-series tonight at 6:40. Joey Cantillo (2-3) will start for the Guardians against Cincinnati’s Jakob Junis (4-0).