TRIBE OFF TO SERIES
KO jays in 5; Miller is MVP
QUICK, which ballclub with the achingly-long championship drought is this October’s team of destiny?
Maybe it’s the Indians, who at least have temporary bragging rights because they’ve reached the World Series ahead of the Cubs. You know, if Chicago’s Northsiders even make it.
Cleveland morphed into “Believeland” once again Wednesday when the Tribe secured a berth in its first Fall Classic since 1997 with a 3-0 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series in Toronto.
The Indians took the series, four games to one, and now await the winner of the NLCS between the Cubs and Dodgers for a crack at their first title since 1948 when their shortstop, Lou Boudreau, was also their manager.
“I can’t wait to see what it’s like in Cleveland, honestly,” said ex-Yankee reliever Andrew Miller, who was named the ALCS MVP after throwing 7.2 scoreless innings, including 2.2 in the clincher.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Miller added after the game. “Obviously, they got a taste of the basketball championship (by the NBA’s Cavaliers). The crowds for the playoff games at home have been special, as you would expect them to be. I’m looking forward to seeing how they react. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
And the Indians did it without Jake Taylor, Ricky (Wild Thing) Vaughn and Pedro Cerrano. Yeah, that’s our obligatory “Major League” reference. But these Indians don’t need any movie mojo — well, unless they snuck some of Jobu’s rum into their Champagne celebration.
Carlos Santana and Coco Crisp homered and rookie starter Ryan Merritt was hardly “shaking in his boots,” getting 13 outs before handing the ball to the Indians’ buzzsaw bullpen for the final 14 outs. The Indians will host the World Series opener on Tuesday.
If the Cubbies — who entered Wednesday night trailing the Dodgers 2-1 in the NLCS, can overcome Los Angeles, they’ll have a curse-off with the Tribe. Cleveland has not won the World Series since 1948 and the Cubs’ pain has lasted even longer — their last title came in 1908.
Everyone always gnashes their teeth over the Cubs’ plight, more so than Cleveland’s, but that’s understandable given the extra 40 years and the fact that the Cubs haven’t even been to the Fall Classic since 1945. Plus, Cleveland got a taste of bubbly last year when LeBron James and the Cavaliers — including J.R. Smith, Knicks fans! — delivered a title in the last NBA season.
Cleveland, City of Champions? Well, the Cavs will raise their banner Tuesday before their season opener against, of course, the Knicks. The Indians will be playing host to Game 1 of the Fall Classic at nearby Progressive Field.
Maybe it really is the Indians’ turn now, considering manager Terry Francona has experience in shattering title droughts. He guided the 2004 Red Sox to a championship that banished a certain “19-18” chant forever. Francona probably strengthened his personal Hall of Fame chances by reaching the Series with the Indians.
Merritt, 24, had only thrown 11 bigleague innings before getting the ball in an enormous game. The Jays had thumped Cleveland in Game 4, their bats finally waking, and they were hoping to do what the ’04 Red Sox had done to the Yankees — rally from a 3-0 deficit.
Jose Bautista, the Jays’ demonstrative slugger, said after Toronto’s lone win that Merritt would be “shaking in his boots more than we are” at the situation. But that did not prove to be true.
Miller, Bryan Shaw and closer Cody Allen saw to that. For Miller, going to the World Series completes quite a personal odyssey after starting the season with the Yanks and then being dealt when the disappointing club reshaped its roster.
“I really enjoyed my time with the Yankees,” Miller said. “It’s tough when you leave a comfort zone and a place that you like and people that you like. But I knew I was coming to a team that had won a lot and had expectations to win more. I was coming to play for Tito. I couldn’t have dreamt it up any better.” GETTY/USA TODAY