Indians, Kluber eye ALCS sweep (4 ET TBS)

TORONTO — There was little solace to be had at the time. Indians manager Terry Francona, with no choice but to remove his starting pitcher from the mound in the first inning Monday, as Trevor Bauer’s lacerated pinkie continued dripping too much blood to conceal, began trudging back to the dugout. He had just summoned the first of six relievers on the night. Then he spotted his ace.

“When I came off the mound after taking Trevor out,” Francona said, “that was kind of the one thing that lifted my spirits a little bit. The first guy I saw was Kluber.”

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

In a perfect world, Corey Kluber would not have to take the mound until Wednesday, in a potential Game 5 in the American League Championship Series. But the Indians don’t live in a perfect world — they haven’t all year. So Kluber will go today opposite Aaron Sanchez, with an opportunity to send the Indians to their first World Series in 19 years following the Tribe’s inspiring 4-2 victory. The win pushed Cleveland’s series lead over the Blue Jays to 3-0.

That means the Blue Jays need to win four straight, and to date, the only team to do so in a best-of-seven postseason series is Francona’s 2004 Red Sox club, against the Yankees in the ALCS. Not to mention, the Indians haven’t dropped that many in a row all year, becoming the first Major League team to go through an entire season without a losing streak of at least four games since the 2014 Dodgers. As a franchise, Cleveland had not achieved that rare feat of consistency since nearly a century ago, in the 1918 campaign.

• Kluber looks to punch Tribe’s World Series ticket

Kluber has 136 Major League starts to his name. His 137th will be his first on short rest.

Game Date Time Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 14   CLE 2, TOR 0 Gm 2 Oct. 15   CLE 2, TOR 1 Gm 3 Oct. …

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