AKRON, Ohio -- Carlos Carrasco watched the bullpen door swing open in the top of the sixth inning.

The 32-year-old hurler took his first step onto the warning track, beginning his short jog to the pitcher¡¯s mound. As he made his way onto the outfield grass, the 4,000-plus fans in attendance at Canal Park rose to their feet. For the first time in nearly three months, Carrasco was back on the rubber in front of a roaring crowd.

¡°It feels great because those people were behind me the whole way,¡± Carrasco said. ¡°From Day One until now.¡±

After being placed on the injured list with leukemia on June 5, Carrasco made his first Minor League rehab appearance on Monday for Double-A Akron. On Saturday, Indians manager Terry Francona said that Carrasco had been sitting around 90-93 mph in the simulated game he pitched in last week. But the right-hander quickly proved he had more in the tank.

On the first pitch of the evening, Carrasco fired in a 97 mph heater just off the outside corner of the plate, surprising himself with the velocity.

¡°You know what, it feels great because the first time coming back from 2 1/2 months without baseball and just a couple bullpens, maybe three or four bullpens, and the first pitch is 97 [mph],¡± Carrasco said. ¡°Right away, I looked back to the scoreboard because I just wanted to find out what was that pitch, and it was 97 and it feels great.¡±

The right-hander worked a scoreless frame, allowing one walk and recording one strikeout. He threw 16 pitches (nine for strikes) and worked in three changeups -- one of which resulted in the strikeout -- and one slider.

¡°I was surprised because all my pitches were way different than before,¡± Carrasco said. ¡°Even my changeup, too.¡±

? Highlights from Carrasco's rehab start

Francona said over the weekend that the plan will be to keep Carrasco on a reliever¡¯s program because it will be more attainable for the righty, who had to step away from the game for over two months to battle leukemia.

¡°Like I think when he started thinking about building up as a starter, it kind of seemed a little daunting, a little far away,¡± Francona said. ¡°This is something he can latch onto and be a part of our team and really help us, and it doesn¡¯t seem so far away.¡±

Judging by Carrasco¡¯s first rehab appearance, it most definitely doesn¡¯t seem too far away. And it wasn¡¯t like his 97 mph heater was an outlier. He followed his tone-setting first pitch with three consecutive 96 mph fastballs.

If someone would¡¯ve told Carrasco before his outing that 11 of his 16 pitches would clock in at 94 mph or higher, a tick up from where his manager said he was topping out in his simulated game, what would he have said?

¡°I¡¯m ready to go,¡± Carrasco said with a cheesing grin. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow to see what is the next step.¡±