Lit by a power surge
Cleveland holds on after hitting three homers in third
CLEVELAND — Francisco Lindor’s home run capped Cleveland’s threehomer rampage in the third inning against 22-game winner Rick Porcello, and the Indians held on for a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night in their American League Division Series opener.
Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Robert Perez went deep in the third off Porcello, who lasted 41⁄ innings in his shortest outing this year.
Before a sea of red-towel waving, screaming fans, the Indians landed the first blow in the best-of-five series against David Ortiz and the AL East champions.
Andrew Miller, acquired by Cleveland in a July trade for an October night like this, pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Summoned by manager Terry Francona earlier than usual, the lefty struck out Ortiz with two on to end the fifth and threw a season-high 40 pitches.
Bryan Shaw gave up a leadoff homer to Boston’s Brock Holt in the eighth that made it 5-4 before Cody Allen struck out Xander Bogaerts with the potential tying run at third to end the inning. Boston put a runner on with two outs in the ninth but Allen fanned Dustin Pedroia on a full-count checked swing, his 40th pitch, for the save. Pedroia was livid, and Red Sox manager John Farrell went onto the field to question plate umpire Brian Knight.
Ortiz went 1-for-4 with a double in the first game of his final postseason.
Rookie Andrew Benintendi and Sandy Leon also Francisco Lindor celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning off Rick Porcello. RED SOX VS. INDIANS Indians lead 1-0 Indians 5-4 4:30 p.m. today Red Sox (Price 17-9) at Indians (Kluber 18-9) Game 3: 4 p.m. Sunday Indians (Tomlin 13-9) at Red Sox (Buchholz 8-10) Game 4: TBA Monday* Indians (undecided) at Red Sox (Rodriguez 3-7) Game 5: TBA Wednesday* Red Sox at Indians x-if necessary; TV: TBS homered for the Red Sox, who will start David Price in Game 2 in the shadows today against Cleveland ace Corey Kluber.
Cleveland unloaded on Porcello in the third, connecting for the three homers in a nine-pitch span.
Perez started the salvo with just his second homer in 82 at-bats at home this season. One out later, Kipnis drove a pitch over the wall in right-center, giving Cleveland a 3-2 lead, then Lindor homered to right.