Starting pitchers tonight were righthander Marcus Stroman (Toronto) and righthander Trevor Bauer (Cleveland).
Stroman was 9-10 in the regular season with a 4.37 ERA.
He struckout 166 batters in 204 innings.
In the postseason, Stroman was the starting pitcher for Toronto in the American League Wild Card-game on October 4 against Baltimore Orioles.
He then pitched six innings and gave up two runs, but had a no-decision.
The Blue Jays won 5-2 in 11 innings to advance to the ALDS against Texas Rangers.
Today was his fifth postseason-start in his career.
During the season, Stroman pitched in two games against Cleveland and had a no-decision both times.
In the two games combined, he struckout 15 batters.
Bauer initially was scheduled to start Game 2 on Saturday, but was moved to today after he sustained a cut in his right pinkie finger (pitching hand) on Thursday, while repairing a drone.
Designing and building drones is a hobby of Bauer.
Josh Tomlin, who was to start today, was moved to Game 2 instead to give Bauer two extra days for his pinkie to heal.
This season, Bauer was 12-8 with a 4.26 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 190 innings.
In the ALDS against Boston Red Sox, Bauer started one game and then had a no-decision.
Tonight was the second postseason-start in his career.
This season, Bauer pitched in two games against Toronto.
He was the winning pitcher in the first game, then had a no-decision in the second one.
In tonight's game, José Bautista was moved up in the batting order of Toronto and was the lead-off hitter.
In the previous two games, the powerhitter was hitting fourth.
With the move to the top of the list, it was hoped he got an extra at bat during the game and with that an additional opportunity to produce a basehit.
In the first two games, Bautista was 0-for-6 and struckout five times!
Cleveland set the tone immediately in the first inning by scoring its first run.
Toronto-starter Marcus Stroman walked lead-off hitter Carlos Santana, who then scored from first base on a 2-out double by Mike Napoli, which was deflected by rightfielder José Bautista.
In the bottom of the first inning, Trevos Bauer, struckout Bautista (his 6th in the Series), but then walked Josh Donaldson.
With two outs, he also walked Troy Tulowitzki.
In the meantime, Bauer's pinkie started to bleed again.
Bauer's pinkie was stitched on Thursday after he had sustained a cut while repairing a drone.
Toronto-Manager John Gibbons requested Home Plate Umpire (and crew chief) Brian Gorman to check on his finger.
Moments later, Bauer was replaced hereafter by Dan Otero after having thrown only 21 pitches.
With two runners on base, Otero got an inning-ending grounder from Russell Martin.
After the Indians stranded a runner on third base in the top of the second inning, the Blue Jays came alongside moments later.
Mike Saunders led off with a homerun off of Otero, who then gave up an one-out single to Ezequiel Carrera.
But the inning ended with a double play.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jeff Manship took over the Cleveland-pitching.
He gave up a lead-off single to José Bautista, his first hit in eight at bats this Series.
Bautista stranded, as three pop-outs followed.
In the top of the fourth, the Indians re-took the lead when Mike Napoli led off with a homerun.
Cleveland again went to the bullpen in the bottom of the fourth.
Manship struckout lead-off hitter Russell Martin, then was relieved by Zach McAllister, who then retired the next two batters.
In the bottom of the fifth, Toronto came alongside for the second time.
Ezequiel Carrera led off with a triple and scored on a grounder by next batter Ryan Goins.
That brought in new pitcher Bryan Shaw, who gave up a 2-out single to Josh Donaldson, but he was forced out moments later.
In the top of the sixth, the Indians took the lead for the third time and this time for good.
And they did it again with a homerun.
Jason Kipnis led off with homerun to make it 3-2.
Toronto-starter Marcus Stroman then struckout Francisco Lindor, but walked Mike Napoli, which led to a change.
Joe Biagini took over, but uncorked a wild pitch that brought Napoli to second base.
Moments later, he scored the next Indians-run when José Ramirez followed with a single.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bryan Shaw retired the side, including two strikeouts.
In the seventh, Shaw gave up a lead-off single to Kevin Pillar, which led to the next pitching change for Cleveland.
Closer Cody Allen took over and got a flyout.
Hereafter, Pillar stole second base.
A challenge followed the tag at second base, but the call was upheld.
Hereafter, Allen struckout pinch-hitter Justin Smoak.
He then walked José Bautista, but Toronto left two runners behind when a line drive by Josh Donaldson was caught by leftfielder Coco Crisp.
In the top of the eighth, Toronto also challenged a call.
With two outs, Francisco Lindor (who had led off with a walk), stole second base and was ruled safe.
After the challenge, the call was overturned and with that, Lindor was caught stealing, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Cleveland-pitching silenced Toronto again.
Allen retired the first two batters, one of them with a strikeout.
Relief-ace Andrew Miller was then brought in.
In previous games, he threw the middle innings, this time, he was brought in to close the game.
Miller ended the inning by striking out Russell Martin.
In the top of the ninth inning, Cleveland got close to adding another run off of closer Roberto Osuna.
With one out, he gave up a single to Coco Crisp, then a double to Tyler Naquin.
But Osuna then retired the next two batters.
In the bottom of the ninth, Miller gave up a lead-off single to pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro, then struckout the next two batters.
A grounder by Darwin Barney ended the inning and the game.
With that, Cleveland won 4-2 and now has a 3-0 lead in the Series.
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Cleveland homers to victory to take 3-0 lead
TORONTO, Ontario (Canada) -
Cleveland Indians won 4-2 on Monday-evening against Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
With the win, Cleveland now lead 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 will be played on Tuesday.
In the fourth inning, Cleveland broke an 1-1 tie when Mike Napoli homered.
And in the sixth inning, with the score at 2-2, it was homerun by Jason Kipnis that put the Indians ahead.