There’s only one thing left to do: Head home

For the third year in a row, the unmistakable aroma of champagne wafted into the hallway outside the visitor’s clubhouse following the final game at Progressive Field. On the Cleveland side, the smell was sour.

The Indians were built for one goal: to win their first World Series since 1948. Yet after cruising to a third straight AL Central title, they couldn’t get past the first round. October rejects again. “We had a good year,” said pitcher Trevor Bauer, whose shift from the starting rotation to the bullpen for the postseason maybe best summed up Cleveland’s unsatisfying, disjointed season. “We definitely could have gone further. We had a lot of talent here and it didn’t go our way.”

Nothing went Cleveland’s way. But beyond being swept by the impressive Houston Astros, who were superior at every level, the Indians barely put up a fight. Postseason push-overs. The Indians were so close in 2016, when they took the Chicago Cubs into extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series. Now they’ve lost six straight playoff games since opening a 2-0 lead in last year’s ALDS against the Yankees.

“This isn’t the way we drew it up,” said reliever Andrew Miller. “This is 25, 40 guys that have plans of winning the World Series. It obviously didn’t go our way.”

Other than All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who batted .364 and homered twice, the top of Cleveland’s lineup bordered on embarrassing.

DAVID DERMER — ASSOCIATED PRESS Cody Allen, right, waits for the Astros’ George Springer to round the bases after Springer hit a solo home run Oct. 8.

DAVID J. PHILLIP — ASSOCIATED PRESS Players watch from the dugout during the ninth inning of their 7-2 loss in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Astros in Houston.