INDIANS

The goal will not be reached. The Indians were eliminated from that quest Wednesday night when the wildcard Yankees beat them 5-2 in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

The Indians won the first two games of the ALDS before losing three straight. It is the first time they've lost three straight since July 30

through Aug. 1.

Corey Kluber, who won 18 games as the ace of the top rotation in the AL during the regular season, struggled for his second start in the ALDS. He allowed homers in consecutive at-bats to shortstop Didi Gregorius to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead they never relinquished.

Gregorius came into Game 5 with one hit in the series. He had three hits in his first three at-bats on Wednesday night. He homered with two out in the first off Kluber's

1-and-2 pitch for a 1-0 lead. In the third, Gregorius hit a 0-and-1 pitch from Kluber into the right-field seats for a 3-0 lead. Brett Gardner opened the inning with a single.

The Indians had no answer for CC Sabathia through the first four innings. He retired six straight and 12 of 13 batters. Eight of those outs came on strikeouts.

The Tribe's offense, held to three runs in losing Games 3 and 4 at Yankee Stadium, finally reached Sabathia in

the fifth to make it 3-2. Austin Jackson and Jay Bruce started the one-out rally with singles to leftcenter and right field. Roberto Perez singled down the right-field line to score Jackson and send Bruce to third. Giovanny Urshela followed with a single through the right side of the infield to make it 3-2 as Bruce scored.

David Robertson (1-0) relieved and induced an inning-ending double play from Francisco Lindor. It was just what the Yankees needed and the Indians didn't.

Lindor and Jose Ramirez, the Tribe's MVP candidates, went 2 for 18 and 2 for 20, respectively, in the ALDS.

The Yankees added two insurance runs in the eighth as the Tribe's defense broke down for the second straight game as outfielders Jackson and Bruce were charged with errors. The Indians, who committed the fewest errors in the AL during the regular, made seven in Games 4 and 5.

Aaron Hicks singled to left with one out and continued to second when the ball squirted past Jackson. Cody Allen issued a two-out walk to Todd Frazier and then engaged in a 12-pitch duel with Gardner that ended in a single to right. Hicks scored and when Bruce's errant relay throw short-hopped Lindor, Frazier scored.

Aroldis Chapman, who helped apply the dagger to the Indians in Game 7 of the World Series last year with the Cubs, pitched the final two innings for his second save of the series.