TRIBE FLOPS AGAIN

Indians lose another clinch game as Sabathia, Chapman pitch Yankees to win

Didi Gregorius, following in the October footprints left by Derek Jeter, homered twice off Corey Kluber as the New York Yankees beat the Indians, 5-2, in Game 5 at Progressive Field on Wednesday night to complete their comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the Division Series and dethrone the AL champions.

These bend-but-don’t-break Yankees staved off elimination for the fourth time in this postseason and advanced to play the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series starting Friday at Minute Maid Park.

The AL West champion Astros, led by 5-foot-6 second-base dynamo and MVP candidate Jose Altuve, went 5-2 against the wild-card winners this season.

After winning twice in New York, the Yankees — with little offensive help from rookie star Aaron Judge — came into Progressive Field and finished off the Indians, who won 102 games during the regular season, ripped off a historic 22game streak and were favored to get back to the World Series after losing in seven games a year ago to the Chicago Cubs.

Cleveland’s Series drought turns 70 next year — baseball’s longest dry spell.

PHIL LONG — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Indians’ Edwin Encarnacion reacts after striking out against Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia during the fourth inning of Game 5 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field.