Champs dispatch overmatched Cleveland
CLEVELAND — The Houston Astros are orbiting in October again.
The defending World Series champions advanced to the AL Championship Series for the second straight year, completing a Division Series sweep of Cleveland on Monday with an 11-3 thrashing in Game 3 helped by two throwing errors from reliever Trevor Bauer.
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run double off Bauer on a shoulder-high pitch as the Astros scored three runs in the seventh inning and closed a series that figured to be much more competitive.
George Springer homered twice, Carlos Correa hit a three-run homer for his first hit of the postseason and Houston’s bullpen combined for four scoreless innings.
After the Astros finished a three-game demolition, they briefly celebrated on the infield at Progressive Field before taking the party inside to their clubhouse.
“It’s a great day for us as a team, a great day as a city,” said Springer, who connected in the fifth and eighth innings. “I understand that personal results don’t mean anything now. It’s all about, ‘How can I help us win?’ ”
The Astros now wait for the Boston-New York winner for a shot to play for another championship.
For the Indians, another postseason ended earlier than planned. Cleveland was beaten in the first round for the second year in a row — New York came back from a 2-0 deficit in 2017 — and baseball’s longest World Series championship drought will reach a 71st anniversary.
The Indians hit .144 in the series, have lost six straight playoff games and were swept for the first time since the 1954 World Series by the New York Giants.
“We got to go home now, before we’re ready to,” manager Terry Francona said. “That hurts. It always stings. I just told the guys, we’ve got a number of guys that are free agents. You know there’s going to be some turnover, and it’s a real special group to all of us.”
Francisco Lindor homered off a circular digital clock in the fifth off Dallas Keuchel to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead that vanished in the seventh.
With a major assist, actually two of them by Bauer, the Astros rallied off the starter turned-post season reliever, who stooped behind the mound and dropped his head after his two errant throws.
Tony Kemp singled and was awarded second when Bauer’s pickoff throw hopped into the photographers’ pit. Springer reached on a dribbler on which catcher Yan Gomes couldn’t make a play as Kemp took third. Jose Altuve grounded into a forceout, with Kemp scoring to tie it 2-2.
Bauer got Alex Bregman to hit a comebacker, but Bauer’s throw to second was off line and both runners were safe.
Bauer then walked Yuli Gurriel, and Gonzalez, whose two-run double to right broke a tie in Game 2, followed with his double to left to make it 4-2 and force Francona to change pitchers again.
Starter Mike Clevinger had given Francona a solid outing: Clevinger struck out nine and allowed one run on three hits in five innings.