Bauer power: Indians baffle Yanks

Cleveland begins postseason chase with well-pitched win

Cleveland — Trevor Bauer chopped slugger Aaron Judge and New York's other big bats down to size and Jay Bruce drove in three runs as the Cleveland Indians began chasing their first World Series title in 69 years with a 4-0 win over the Yankees on Thursday night in the opener of the AL Division Series.

Bauer struck out Judge three times, twice getting the MVP candidate looking. He allowed just two hits in 6.2 innings before manager Terry Francona turned to baseball's best bullpen, using Andrew Miller and closer Cody Allen to finish the three-hitter.

Allen came in with two on and two outs in the eighth to face Judge, who struck out for the fourth time and angrily snatched at his bat in frustration. Allen worked the ninth for a save.

Bruce connected for a two-run homer in the fourth off Sonny Gray and added a sacrifice fly in the fifth as the Indians began a journey to try and end the majors' longest Series title drought.

Bauer was Francona's surprise pick to start Game 1 over ace Co-

rey Kluber, and the eccentric right-hander, perhaps best known for slicing a pinkie open while repairing a drone during last year's postseason, delivered a performance that started October just right for the Indians.

Kluber, an 18-game winner during the regular season, will start Game 2 on Friday against CC Sabathia.

Coming off their win over Minnesota in the wild-card game Tuesday, when Judge homered in his playoff debut, the Yankees came in with momentum.

Bauer struck out eight and took a no-hitter into the sixth before Aaron Hicks doubled with one out. It was the longest no-hit bid by a Cleveland pitcher in the postseason, bettering Hall of Famers Bob Feller (1948) and Early Wynn (1954), who both went four innings.

Taking the mound to his usual thundering warm-up music, "The Pursuit of Vikings," an intimidating song by Swedish metal band Amon Amarth, Bauer didn't mess around.

He struck out Judge in the first watching a curveball before fanning Gary Sanchez with pitch way off the plate.

Bauer struck out Judge again in the fourth, but the All-Star reached on a wild pitch. Bauer, though, regrouped by getting Sanchez to bounce into a double play before he freezing Didi Gregorius for his sixth strikeout.

Bauer got help from All-Star-second baseman-turned-center fielder Jason Kipnis, who made a diving catch to rob Chase Headley in the third. As Kipnis slowly got to his feet, Bauer raised both arms above his head, pumped his fist and screamed to salute his teammate.