Napoli nixes slump, ignites Tribe in Game 3

TORONTO — Mike Napoli rarely misses a party. This is known to be true. So it was hardly a surprise when he decidedly burst on to the scene Monday evening, his tardiness quickly excused.

The slumping slugger woke from his slumber with might, with everyone in his wake hurriedly reminded of his game-changing power as the Indians grabbed a 3-0 American League Championship Series lead in a 4-2 win. Napoli’s first stroke, a first-inning double to right-center field that brought in the first run of Game 3, was more than just a tease of what was to come on another night the Indians ruled.

• ALCS Game 4: Today at 4 p.m. ET on TBS/Sportsnet/RDS

Game Date Time Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 14   CLE 2, TOR 0 Gm 2 Oct. 15   CLE 2, TOR 1 Gm 3 Oct. 17   CLE 4, TOR 2 Gm 4 Oct. 18 4 p.m. CLE @ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 5 Oct. 19 4 p.m. CLE@ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 6 Oct. 21 8 p.m. TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 7 Oct. 22 TBD TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS * If necessary | All times listed ET  • ALCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Blue Jays | Indians

“There was almost this little relief of, yes, Napoli’s back,” Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “We never lost him. He was having good at-bats, just had nothing to show for it. But he doubles in that first at-bat, and you just know he’s back.”

Back he was, with a monster of a home run he lifted with ease over the center-field wall in the fourth, again victimizing Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman to again put the Indians on top. The moonshot put a 2-1 lead in Cleveland’s pockets, and a relentless Tribe, despite …

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