The Cleveland Indians blank the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series and move on to the 2016 World Series.
With a 3-0 shutout, the Cleveland Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays and advance to the World Series for the first time since 1997. The Indians’ bats came alive in Game 5 after their top 7 batters were 0-23 in Game 4.
Game 5 of the ALCS was noteworthy before the game even started. Indians manager Terry Francona elected to start the game with Ryan Merritt, a pitcher with only one career start under his belt and 11 innings pitched to his major league career. Compare that with Blue Jays veteran Marco Estrada, who has 128 starts and close to 900 innings’ worth of experience. Going into Game 5, Estrada had 5 postseason starts with the Jays and an ERA of 2.02.
Merritt cruised effortlessly through his first three innings, facing nine batters with no hits and three punch outs. Putting up a new face against Toronto was a great strategy as batters struggled to hit off a pitcher they’d never seen before. Merritt came out after four innings, allowing just one hit. Cody Allen came in for the save to get Merritt his first postseason win.
Once again it was Mike Napoli who drove in a run early for the Indians, blasting a high changeup to left field for a double to bring in Ezequiel Carrera. That put the Tribe up 1-0 in the first inning. Carlos Santana came up in the 3rd inning and hit his second home run of the series, putting the Indians up 2-0. Santana’s other home run came in Game 2 of the ALCS. Coco Crisp knocked a solo home run in the 4th inning with two outs.
Jose Bautista tried to get things going in the bottom of the 9th with a sharp line drive down the left field line for a double, but that was all that came from the inning as the Indians won 3-0.
Next: 27 MLB Records That Will Never Be Broken
The Indians will wait for the end of the National League Championship Series to find out whether they play the Cubs or the Dodgers n the World Series, but they will host the opening game for the first time in franchise history.
The World Series begins Tuesday, October 25.