Cleveland brings the thunder. Griffin,
Offence ice cold in ALCS opener, Travis limps off
CLEVELAND— The hometown Indians entered this AL Championship Series against the Blue Jays with a reputation for lightning, but instead delivered some thunder for a 2-0 victory in Game 1 at Progressive Field.
The Indians had led the AL in stolen bases, but trailed the Jays by 36 home runs over the course of the season. However in the sixth inning, on Marco Estrada’s 70th pitch of the game, shortstop Francisco Lindor smashed a two-strike pitch over the wall in deep right-centre field for the only two runs scored in the game.
The Blue Jays are playing the seventh ALCS in franchise history. In the four previous times in which they dropped the opening game, the Jays went 1-3 — beating the A’s in 1992 after losing 4-3 at home in Game 1, but losing the ALCS in 1989 to the A’s, 1991 to the Twins and in 2015 to the Royals.
The Jays had opportunities to score in each of the first three innings, but came up empty against Cleveland’s ace and Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber. With one out in the first, Josh Donaldson singled and Edwin Encarnacion doubled. The AL MVP had to hold up until the ball cleared the right fielder and was held at third base. Jose Bautista then struck out and slump-ridden Russ Martin grounded to first base.
In the second inning, Michael Saunders singled and Kevin Pillar walked with one out. Devon Travis, in his first at-bat back from missing two games, grounded into a double play. In the third, Encarnacion and Bautista reached with two out and Martin struck out to end the threat.
An inning later, with Saunders on first, second baseman Jason Kipnis made a diving stop on a Kevin Pillar grounder headed to right field, jack-knifing to his feet to make the play and preventing the beginnings of another threat.
But, as often happens with the game’s elite starting pitchers, if you don’t get to them early they get stronger as the game goes on and you have missed the opportunity. Kluber settled in from the fourth inning on. The former Cy Young winner went 61⁄
3 shutout innings, allowing six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. With one out in the seventh, manager Terry Francona brought in left-hander Andrew Miller, prompting the Jays to use two pinch-hitters — who both struck out. Miller was not done. He pitched the eighth inning before making way for closer Cody Allen. Francona has continued to use Miller, obtained from the Yankees at the deadline, in unorthodox situations. Miller relishes the role. Francona was asked about the changing role of elite middle relievers.
“It is fairly uncommon,” Francona agreed. “I would say, though, that maybe the one place it isn’t is here. Andrew has gotten a lot of publicity and notoriety because of this — which he deserves, don’t get me wrong — but Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero, they’ve all been the same way. I just want to make sure people understand that. We couldn’t do this if we didn’t have Cody back in the back (end) finishing it. It wouldn’t work.”
Allen finished it up for the save. This was the game the Indians had to win, with Kluber on the hill.
Also, the second man scheduled up in the rotation, Trevor Bauer, is in a state of flux after suffering a drone-inflicted 10-stitch gash on the pinky finger of his right hand. Bauer traded off starts with right-hander Josh Tomlin.
“I think we’ve all, probably everyone in here, probably at some point or another had a drone-related problem,” Francona said, tongue firmly planted in cheek. “We have to win four games and they were going to pitch twice.”
Meanwhile, Jays manager John Gibbons made two roster changes for the ALCS to add versatility to his bench while keeping seven relievers. First baseman Justin Smoak was left out, replaced by pinch-running specialist Dalton Pompey.
In what may be a somewhat prescient move, Gibbons also took right-hander Scott Feldman off the list and added versatile Ryan Goins, who can play any of the four infield positions. That extra infielder on the bench, joining Darwin Barney, came to the fore in the fifth inning when Devon Travis hobbled back to his position and was forced from the game with what is believed to be an aggravation of the bone bruise in his right knee. Travis had missed the final two games of the ALDS, but worked out with the club and was cleared to play.
With Goins on the roster, the need for a backup first baseman behind Edwin Encarnacion, should Gibbons have to run for the slugger late in a game, is solved.
Encarnacion has opened eyes with his defence at first base this year. The need to replace him with Smoak late in games in which the Jays hold a lead is not a priority. In fact, with the games against Cleveland expected to be tight every night, you don’t want to take Encarnacion out and then go extra innings if the bullpen blows a chance.
As for the bullpen, MLB decided the Jays must open the series with a 24-man active roster instead of 25 because of the not-very-well-though-out concussion ruling that allowed them to put Francisco Liriano on a seven-day concussion DL during the ALDS, but not fill his spot for Game 1. Liriano will be activated in time for Game 2.