Kluber bad, Encarnacion hurt, but Indians win in 13
CLEVELAND — Yan Gomes singled home Austin Jackson from second base with no outs in the 13th inning as the Indians rallied from five runs down Friday to stun the Yankees 9-8 and snatch a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.
Jackson drew a leadoff walk from Dellin Betances and stole second. Gomes went to a full count before pulling his bouncer just inside the third base bag, easily scoring Jackson to end the 5-hour-8-minute thriller.
The Indians posted their biggest comeback win in postseason history, overcoming an 8-3 deficit, a terrible start by ace Corey Kluber and a potentially serious injury to slugger Edwin Encarnacion.
Jay Bruce connected for a solo home run in the eighth that tied it 8-8. Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth to rally the Indians within 8-7.
The Yanks had their chances late, but they stranded the go-ahead run at third in the ninth and 10th — and saw pinch runner Ronald Torreyes picked off second in the 11th by Gomes from the behind the plate.
Josh Tomlin, scheduled to start later in the series, pitched two perfect innings for the win.
Aaron Hicks hit a threerun homer off Kluber, and Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird hit two-run shots for the Yankees,.
Down 8-3 and facing the vaunted Yankees bullpen, the Indians came back.
Yanks starter CC Sabathia was lifted with one on and one out in the sixth for Chad Green, who Game 1: Game 2: Game 3: *Game 4: *Game 5: gave up a double to Gomes. Green then came inside, and Lonnie Chisenhall was awarded first by plate umpire Dan Iassogna on a hit by pitch. TV replays showed the ball appearing to hit the knob of Chisenhall’s bat.
Lindor then stepped in and hit his grand slam, setting up Bruce’s homer.
Kluber yielded six runs on seven hits and two homers in 22⁄3 innings.
Encarnacion sprained his right ankle scrambling to get back to second base in the first and had to be helped off the field.