- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Relieve-land: CLE stitching together history
- Updated: October 18, 2016
TORONTO — There is a small television in the visitors’ bullpen at Rogers Centre. Before the phone rang, before any of the Indians’ relievers knew what was happening or who might need to get loose, the pitchers watched the small screen behind the right-field fence, and saw blood dripping from Trevor Bauer’s hand.
The nightmare scenario had become reality. The laceration that runs from the second knuckle to the fingernail on Bauer’s right pinkie finger had burst open before he could even get through one inning. The relievers began scrambling, the bullpen phone finally rang and one of the great October performances unfolded in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night. The win gave the Indians a 3-0 series lead and put them one win from the World Series.
• ALCS Game 4: Today at 4 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
“Our bullpen,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s one of the most amazing jobs I’ve ever seen.”
To clarify, it was a performance unlike any that had been seen before in postseasons past, and it put Cleveland one win away from sweeping Toronto and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1997.
The Indians established an American League postseason record by using seven pitchers in a nine-inning win. None of those arms — not Bauer, or Dan Otero, or Jeff Manship, Zach McAllister, Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen or Andrew Miller — recorded more than five outs. That made the Indians the first team in playoff history to win a game without a pitcher lasting two innings.
Otero, who is normally a setup man, relieved Bauer in the first inning. Allen, who is normally the closer, worked parts of the seventh and eighth. Miller, who is writing his own place in postseason history with his overpowering performance this …
