The Indians went into game one with their best available pitching situation, a healthy and well rested Corey Kluber and a fully rested bullpen. The results, detailed below, were the best possible given that situation as Kluber shut down the fifth best offense in the AL the same way he shut down the best offense in baseball during the ALDS.
First Inning
Progressive Field was certainly rocking as the ALCS opened up and Corey Kluber didn’t let the fans down. He pounded the zone against Ezequiel Carrera, who took two strikes, then swung at a slider low and away. Things turned ugly for a moment as Josh Donaldson ripped a 2-2 pitch up the middle for a single and Edwin Encarnacion hit a fastball to the opposite field for a double. Despite the ball getting caught under the wall, Lonnie Chisenhall was able to recover it in time to keep Donaldson from scoring from first. Kluber then got Jose Bautista on three pitches, swinging at a low breaking ball and Russell Martin grounded out lightly to first to end the inning without score.
Going with the strategy of get on base any way possible, Carlos Santana took two balls, then when Donaldson vacated the third base side of the infield, he bunted for a single down the line. The Indians offensive attack was short lived, however, as Jason Kipnis grounded into a double play and Francisco Lindor grounded out to second as well to end the inning.
Second Inning
Troy Tulowitzki grounded out to short to start the second, but Michael Saunders a two strike pitch to right, then Kluber lost the strike zone and walked Kevin Pillar. With two on and one out, Devon Travis grounded one straight to Lindor at short for an easy inning ending double play.
Marco Estrada continued to make quick work of the Tribe in his second inning of work as Mike Napoli and Jose Ramirez each grounded into outs. Lonnie Chisenhall snuck a ground ball through the middle of the infield for the Tribe’s second hit of the night, but Coco Crisp flew out to right on the first pitch he saw from Estrada to end the inning.
Third Inning
Ezequiel Carrera continued with the surprise bunts as he waiting until he was down in the count 1-2 before pushing one down the third base line. Kluber pounced off the mound and barehanded the ball, just beating the speedy outfielder to first with the throw. Donaldson then popped out in the infield on the second pitch he saw. For the second straight time, Encarnacion hit safely with two strikes, then again Kluber lost control momentarily and walked Bautista on four straight.
After striking out three times in four plate appearances in the ALDS, Tyler Naquin continued his streak in his first at bat against Estrada by swinging at a pitch at eye level with a full count. Instead of having one on with none out, Roberto Perez hit with none on and flew out to center. Santana wrapped up the inning quickly with an infield fly on the first pitch he saw.
Fourth Inning
The Blue Jays continued on with their two strike hitting in the fourth when Saunders took an 0-2 pitch to left against an infield that had been shifted to pull. Kluber had already struck out Tulowitzki on a nice breaking pitch and Kipnis made an incredible diving play to get Pillar for the second out. With Saunders now on second, Kluber broke the bat of Travis who flew out to center to end the inning.
After Kipnis struck out to start the inning, Lindor added the Tribe’s third hit of the night with a single up the middle. He stayed at first with Napoli coming to bat and, while the big right hander gave it a ride, it landed safely in the glove of Carrera in left. With Lindor still at first, Ramirez hit one with a similar trajectory although this one was caught in front of the left field wall by Pillar, the center fielder.
Fifth Inning
Kluber didn’t necessarily pitch better in the fifth than he had earlier in the game, but it was his first 1-2-3 inning. Carrera really helped him out to start by swinging at the first pitch and grounding out to Lindor, who was playing nearly behind second base and the next two hitters saw a total of ten pitches as Donaldson flew out to center and Encarnacion grounded out to Kluber. This allowed Kluber to get through the inning with just 80 pitches for the game, getting him back on track for a longer outing.
Chisenhall hit his second single and the Indians fourth to start the bottom half and Coco Crisp pulled a surprise sacrifice drag bunt to move him to second. On this play, Travis had to cover first and was pulled for Ryan Goins a batter later due to a preexisting knee injury. This came after a Naquin ground out moved Chisenhall to third, and while he was the first Indians runner in scoring position in the game, he would not actually score as Perez struck out looking to end the frame.
Sixth Inning
Kluber continued with his late inning heat by striking out Bautista looking by painting the outside corner. After getting ahead of Martin 0-2, the catcher grounded out to Kipnis at second, but Tulowitzki continued with the two strike hits as he lined one to right to extend the inning. For the third time after giving up a hit, Kluber struggled finding the zone, but Saunders helped him out, swinging at a pitch that was far off the plate inside and ultimately striking out on another pitch that would have been a ball inside.
Estrada came into the sixth with less than 60 pitches thrown and still looking dominant. Santana smoked a ball to the right side, but right at Goins, who was playing in the grass with the shift on. Kipnis, who had Terry Francona kiss his bat prior to entering the on deck circle, worked a walk on five pitches, but Lindor went down 0-2 before the biggest play of the game. Estrada’s 0-2 offering was slow, low and inside and Lindor turned on the 77 MPH change up, rocketing it out to right for the first runs of the night. Napoli and Ramirez were quickly set down after, but the Indians still were able to head into the final third with the 2-0 lead.
Seventh Inning
Kluber stayed in for one batter in the seventh and was able to retire Pillar on one pitch. After, he was pulled from the game at exactly 100 pitches, giving him 6.1 shut out innings in this game and 13.1 total in the post-season. He struck out six and walked two, allowing six hits, but stranding them all.
Andrew Miller came in for the hold and faced the Blue Jays third second baseman of the game, Darwin Barney. Getting the right hander up against Miller didn’t help much as he looked silly swinging at a slider in the dirt for the K. Melvin Upton, Jr. also pinch hit, replacing Carrera, but he didn’t fare any better, striking out looking to end the inning. While playing the righty-lefty game against Miller may seem a good idea, it really doesn’t make much of a difference. In his career, he has allowed hits to right handers just slightly more often than vs left handers (.246 AVG vs RHH, .234 AVG vs LHH) and he has struck out right handers in 23% of plate appearances compared to 32% of left handers.
It was like deja vu in the bottom half as Chisenhall lead off with an opposite field single and Crisp bunted him to second (it worked so well the first time, why not do it again?). Just like Chisenhall switched things up by hitting it to the opposite field, Naquin switched things up by striking out on a change-up by his ankles instead of a fastball up high. Perez flew out to end the inning and the incredible strategy of wasting outs to bring up your 8 and 9 hitters didn’t work out again. Truly shocking.
Eighth Inning
Both Crisp and Naquin were pulled for defensive substitutions to start the eighth as Rajai Davis (LF) and Michael Martinez (CF) made their first appearances in the ALCS. Miller stayed in the game and gave up a rare hit to his first batter, Donaldson, after getting up 0-2, but struck out Encarnacion looking on an inside fastball that left the slugger steaming. A lengthy at bat against the Jays other big bat, Bautista, ended with a swinging K. Martin went down swinging as well, Miller’s fifth in the game and his 12th in 5.2 post-season innings. Of all Indians pitchers, only Kluber has thrown more innings (13.1) and struck out more batters (13) than Miller.
Even though he gave up the only runs of the game, Estrada continued to pitch well into the eighth. A lengthy at bat against Santana ended with a fly out to short center and Kipnis was retired on one pitch with a fly to deeper center. In his first at bat after the home run, Lindor struck out with a check swing on a ball in the dirt. Despite taking the loss, Estrada came through in a big way for the Jays, pitching a complete game and saving their bullpen for another day.
Ninth Inning
Cody Allen came into the game for the save and never allowed the game to come into question. He got Tulowitzki to ground one back to him, then struck out Saunders for the second out. Allen earned his third save of the post-season when Pillar grounded out to Lindor to end the game.
Player of the Game – Corey Kluber 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 K, 2 BB, 6 H, Win
Final Score: Toronto Blue Jays 0 – Cleveland Indians 2
On Deck: Neither team has long to rest before getting right back at it for game two of the ALCS. Rather than the originally scheduled Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin will be throwing the first pitch for the Tribe at 4:08 PM. Opposing him will be 20 game winning left hander, J.A. Happ.
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