The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Encarnacion expected to play in Game 5
Encarnacion to play in do-or-die Game 5
Edwin Encarnacion’s swing is strong.
His right ankle apparently is even stronger.
The Indians’ mighty designated hitter, seemingly out for at least the rest of the postseason when he was injured in Game 2 on Oct. 6, ran sprints in the outfield and took batting practice during a workout Oct. 10 at Progressive Field.
He ran to first after getting a hit off Indians lefty Ryan Merritt on his final swing and tipped his cap to the Indians shagging flies in the outfield.
Barring swelling and new pain, Encarnacion will be in the lineup Oct. 11 when the Indians host the Yankees in Game 5 at 8:08 p.m.
“He changes (the Indians’ lineup), because we have a lefty going, too,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after Encarnacion’s workout. “We know how dangerous he is. You can look at Edwin, he’s probably been one of the best RBI guys in our league for the last three or four years. That’s who he is. He knows how to drive in runs. He changes the lineup.”
Encarnacion was 0-for-3 in Game 1. He was hit by a pitch on his right leg in his only at-bat in Game 2, and then a few minutes later sprained his right ankle when he jammed his foot into the bag getting back to second base to avoid being doubled up on a lineout by Jay Bruce. He was called out after the Yankees challenged the original safe call.
He clouted 38 homers and drove in 107 runs in the regular season.
The winning team in Game 5 advances to play the Astros in the ALCS beginning Oct. 13. The losing team says their goodbyes and won’t get together again until spring training starts in February. The Indians had a 2-0 series lead, but it vanished with two losses in Yankee Stadium.
“We met real quickly after the game (the 7-3 loss Oct. 9),” Francona said. “The meeting literally was 30 seconds. The idea is to move forward, just like we say when we’ve won a lot in a row. We don’t look back. So that’s the same idea now.
“Just watching the guys show up today, we’ll be in a good place tomorrow. I mean, we’re playing a good team and we respect that. They’ve showed that. But our challenge is to play the best game we can, and I think we will.”
Right-hander Corey Kluber will start for the Indians. Lefty CC Sabathia
will start for the Yankees. Francona and Girardi will each use an “all-hands-ondeck” approach, meaning each will go to his bullpen quickly if a starter falters.
Kluber, who gave up six runs in 2 2/3 innings as the starter in Game 2, says he has to do “everything” better in his rematch with Sabathia, who back in 2007 won the Cy Young Award pitching for the Indians. Kluber won it in 2014 and is expected to win it again this year.
“I didn’t pitch well, didn’t have good command, didn’t throw the ball where I
wanted to,” Kluber said. “I don’t care if I get the win (in Game 5). All that matters is we get a win as a team. That’s the only goal in mind.”
The Indians need a rebound game from Kluber, and they need one from most of their hitters. Jose Ramirez is 2-for-17 (.118), Michael Brantley 1-for-11 (.091) and Francisco Lindor (1-for-14). The only RBI the trio has produced was on Lindor’s grand slam.
“For us to get where we’re going, those guys will help us get us there,” Francona said. “It’s not always going
to be 72 and sunny. We realize that. You’ve got to fight through it together, and that’s what we intend to do. I think (Encarnacion) will be OK.”
The home team has won each game in the series, so the Indians have that going for them. The Yankees have faced elimination three times — in the wild-card game with the Twins and Games 3 and 4 with the Indians. They won each time, so the Yankees have that plus on their side.
“Our guys are confident,” Girardi said. “We know we’re facing a good team,
and we know we’re facing a tough pitcher. But you go through that during the course of the season, a lot of games. We’ve had three must-wins and we’ve been able to come out on top on all three of them and hopefully tomorrow, a fourth one, we can do it, too.”
Francona said he has four different lineups prepared based on the health of Encarnacion and third baseman Giovanny Urshela. Urshela is nursing a sore shin after being hit by a line drive in Game 4. He was charged with an error on the play.