Indians celebrate as family following ALDS sweep

BOSTON — The celebration did not start immediately. Cleveland’s players gathered in a circle in the center of the small visitors’ clubhouse at Fenway Park, bottles of champagne in hand, and waited for the words of Jason Kipnis, who held his drink high in the air.

“One shake for Brant!” Kipnis yelled.

The Indians’ players answered his call with a collective roar and bottles lifted high, twisting back and forth, building up the kind of pressure required for a proper cork-popping party. That opening display, which followed the Indians’ 4-3 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Monday night to complete a sweep of Boston, summed up the Tribe.

Game Date Matchup Highlights Gm 1 Oct. 6 CLE 5, BOS 4 Gm 2 Oct. 7 CLE 6, BOS 0 Gm 3 Oct. 10 CLE 4, BOS 3 • Red Sox vs. Indians ALDS coverageShop for postseason gear: Red Sox | Indians

Kipnis’ cry was for Indians outfielder Michael Brantley, who played in only 11 games for the team this year due to injury. The outfielder is done for the year after surgery on his right shoulder, but he was in the middle of the Fenway locker room, dousing his teammates as they sprayed him in return. Brantley can’t help on the field, but his teammates still view him as an integral piece to what is taking place.

Cleveland does not boast a payroll like Boston. The Indians do not have the superstar names that will be on the back of the Blue Jays’ jerseys during the upcoming AL Championship Series, which begins on Friday (8 p.m. ET, TBS). The AL Central champion, now four wins away from the franchise’s first trip to the World Series since 1997, takes pride in finding …

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