CLEVELAND: The Indians have found their formula and have followed it in the first two games of the American League Championship Series. With it, they’re two steps closer to the World Series.
Francisco Lindor came away with the go-ahead hit for the second consecutive night, Josh Tomlin delivered again, Andrew Miller continued to strike out everyone in his path and the Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 Saturday at Progressive Field to extend their lead in the ALCS to 2-0.
Lindor’s strong October on the national stage continued. With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, Lindor came to bat with two outs and Rajai Davis, who stole second and advanced on a wild pitch, on third. Facing Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ, Lindor ripped a single up the middle to put the Indians on top 2-1. He also delivered all the offense in Game 1 with a two-run home run.
“Nobody is counting on us,” Lindor said. “Nobody has us winning, so there’s no pressure. We just have to have fun and enjoy the game. Whatever happens, happens. “
Leading off the second inning, Carlos Santana gave the Indians a 1-0 lead with a rocket of a home run to left field, his first career postseason home run.
It was enough for Tomlin and the Indians’ bullpen. Tomlin, who was originally slated to start Game 3 but was bumped up after Trevor Bauer cut his finger on a drone, had the Blue Jays off balance all night in part due to a higher dosage of curveballs.
Sixteen of the 17 outs he recorded were by either groundout or strikeout. He allowed just one run on three hits in 5⅔ innings and struck out six, continuing the run of strong outings from Indians starting pitchers this postseason.
“I think it’s really cool that he is pitching, because he embodied so much of what we like about our team,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of Tomlin. “And for him to be pitching in these games, I think everybody is excited about it. It’s the way it should be.”
Bryan Shaw relieved Tomlin and retired Troy Tulowitzki on a comebacker to the mound for the final out in the sixth. That led to Miller, who entered after throwing 31 pitches in Game 1. For the second game in a row, Miller struck out five of the six hitters he faced, working two perfect innings Saturday. He has 17 strikeouts in 7⅔ innings this postseason.
Cody Allen still had work to do in the ninth against some of the AL’s best. He struck out Edwin Encarnacion looking with a high curveball, struck out Jose Bautista swinging with a high fastball and ended the game getting Tulowitzki to fly out to center field.
After tying it 1-1 in the third inning, the Blue Jays didn’t have another hit the rest of the game.
“That was your chance against Tomlin. Now it’s like, ‘OK, we’re going to close the door now,” Davis said. “That’s what they’ve been [doing], shutting the door, not allowing anybody to get on base.”
The Indians will travel to Toronto’s Rogers Centre — one of the most electric home-field advantages in baseball — for Game 3 Monday night, Game 4 Tuesday afternoon and a potential Game 5 Wednesday afternoon with a chance to clinch a spot in the World Series with two more wins.
“It’s nice to somehow scrape away two wins here, and it definitely takes off the pressure going to Toronto, where you know you’re going to face a tough crowd and a rejuvenated team,” Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said. “Granted, we’re going to try to win every single game, but you’re literally of the mindset, ‘Hey, let’s win one.’ We have three chances to win one game and then come home and have two chances to clinch this thing at home.”
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ