Starting pitchers this afternoon were righthander Corey Kluber (Cleveland) and righthander Marco Estrada (Toronto).
Both were winning pitcher during the ALDS.
Kluber was 18-9 in the regular season with a 3.14 ERA and was 10-5 in home games.
Kluber was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the ALDS against Boston, giving up no runs in eight-plus innings.
Kluber pitched twice this season against Toronto.
He was the losing pitcher in the first game, which was a 17-1 loss and he then got a no-decision in his second outing.
Estrada was 9-9 this season with a 3.48 ERA, but he was 6-2 on the road.
In the ALDS against Texas, Estrada was the winning pitcher in Game 1.
He then pitched in 8 1/3 inning and gave up only four basehits.
In the regular season, Estrada pitched in one game against the Indians, but then had a no-decision.
The Blue Jays got into scoring position right away in the top of the first inning off of Corey Kluber.
The righthanded pitching ace of the Indians began with a strikeout, but then gave up a single to Josh Donaldson, which was followed by a double by Edwin Encarnacion.
With runners on second and third base, Kluber struckout José Bautista and the inning ended when Russell Martin grounded out.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Indians also reached base off of Marco Estrada.
While the Blue Jays-defense played a shift on lead-off hitter Carlos Santana, he put down a bunt down the left-line to reach first base safely, as third baseman Josh Donaldson had moved over towards the short stop-position.
However, moments later, he was eliminated when Jason Kipnis grounded into a double play.
...Carlos Santana was 1-for-4 for the Indians...
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(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Toronto got into scoring position again on the top of the second.
With one out, Michael Saunders singled, then Kevin Pillar walked, but this time, the Cleveland-defense turned a double on a grounder by Devon Travis.
In the third at bat, Toronto got two baserunners for the third consecutive time.
Corey Kluber got two quick outs, but then gave up a single to Edwin Encarnacion and walked José Bautista.
But another runner was left in scoring position when Kluber the inning by striking out Russell Martin.
In the fourth, the Blue Jays got into scoring position again when Michael Saunders singled with one out.
Like for Encarnacion, this was the second basehit in the game for Saunders.
He then advanced to second base on a grounder by Kevin Pillar, who was eliminated on a great defensive play by second baseman Jason Kipnis.
Moments later, Saunders was left behind.
After Corey Kluber retired the Blue Jays-side for the first time in the top of the fifth inning, the Indians got into scoring position for the first time in the bottom of the fifth.
Lonnie Chisenhall led off with a single and was brought to second base with a sacrifice bunt by Coco Crisp.
Chisenhall then advanced to third base when Tyler Naquin grounded out.
Hereafter, Toronto's second baseman Devon Travis left the game.
Travis made the out at first base on the bunt by Crisp, but apparently he was bothered again by his knee-injury, which also had sidelined him during the ALDS against Texas.
Ryan Goins took over at second base and hereafter, a strikeout ended the at bat.
After the Blue Jays left another runner on base in the top of the sixth, the Indians struck in their sixth.
With one out, Jason Kipnis walked, then Francisco Lindor drilled the ball into right-centerfield for a 2-run homerun to put the Indians ahead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Corey Kluber returned to the mound for the Indians, but after a groundout, he was replaced by relief-ace Andrew Miller.
He struckout pinch-hitters Darwin Barney and Melvin Upton, Jr. to end the inning.
The Indians then stranded a runner in the bottom of the seventh inning, then Josh Donaldson led off for the Blue Jays with a single in the top of the eighth.
Hereafter, Andrew Miller struckout powerhitters Edwin Encarnacion, José Bautista and Russell Martin.
With that, Miller struckout five of the six batters he faced.
Bautista struckout for the third time, while Martin struckout for the second time.
Encarnacion angrily argued with Home Plate Umpire Laz Diaz when he was called out on strikes.
Earlier, Melvin Upton, Jr. and José Bautista also disagreed with the strike-zone.
With that, the Blue Jays showed some frustrations, as the game didn't went their way.
They swept the Rangers with some offensive power, but tonight, they were unable to score.
Closer Cody Allen took the mound for the Indians in the top of the ninth.
He retired the side and with that, the Indians struck first in the best-of-seven ALCS.
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Cleveland shuts out Toronto to strike first in ALCS
CLEVELAND, Ohio (USA) -
Cleveland Indians shutout Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Friday-afternoon (October 14) in Game 1 of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series.
Game 2 will be played on Saturday.
On that day, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers open the NLCS.
The winner of this Series advances to the World Series.