AL
ALCS Game 3: Indians Are One Win From Trip to World Series
Indians on verge of winning AL Pennant for first time in 19 years.
Mike Napoli celebrates after crossing the plate with a home run in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie. ALEX TRAUTWIG/MLB PHOTOS
It has been 19 years since the Cleveland Indians won an American League Pennant to advance to the World Series and on Monday night they took one step closer after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 to take a 3-0 series lead.
In the first two games the Indians starting pitching along with timely hitting allowed them to take a 2-0 series lead, but in Game 3, starter Trevor Bauer left the game after only recording two outs in the first inning and it was the bullpen’s turn to lead Cleveland to victory.
Bauer, who received stitches to his right pinkey finger after suffering an injury, lasted only 21 pitches on Monday after the stitches opened up and forced him out of the game.
The Indians then used six different relief pitchers who totaled 8.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, three walks, eight strikeouts and one home run.
As for the offense, Mike Napoli homered in the fourth to put the Indians up 2-1, and Jason Kipnis homered in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie and for insurance Jose Ramirez singled home Napoli to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Blue Jays managed seven hits, but their power bats, led by Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki were a combined 2 for 13, and a walk. A pure recipe for disaster that has dropped Toronto into a 0-3 deficit.
Game 4 will be played on Tuesday October 18, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 pm at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Probable starters for the game are Indians Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14) and Blue Jays Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00).
Game Notes:
Mike Napoli drove in two of the four runs for the Indians finishing the game 2 for 3, 2 R, Double, HR, 2 RBI, BB.
David Conde
David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.
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