Lefty rookies taking on Blue Jays, Cubs

Neither Ryan Merritt nor Julio Urias has much experience at the Major League level, but both rookie left-handers will have tough assignments when they take the mound today.

Merritt’s Indians couldn’t finish off an American League Championship Series sweep of the Blue Jays on Tuesday, falling, 5-1, in Game 4. Cleveland now has one more chance to close out the series at a hostile Rogers Centre before the festivities would shift back to Progressive Field. On the line is the Tribe’s first World Series berth since 1997.

• ALCS Game 5: Today at 4 p.m. ET on TBS/Sportsnet/RDS | NLCS Game 4: Tonight at 8 ET on FS1

Game Date Time Matchup TV/Highlights 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   TOR 5, CLE 1 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

Meanwhile, the Dodgers hand the ball to Urias coming off consecutive shutouts of the Cubs, the latter a 6-0 win on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Tonight’s game at Chavez Ravine provides an opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 National League Championship Series advantage, with one game still to go in LA.

• Secondary pitches real weapons for Urias

In the history of postseason starting pitchers, both of these southpaws stand out from the crowd.

Merritt has thrown only 11 Major League innings, five of them coming on Sept. 30 at Kansas City in his only start out of four appearances. Only one other pitcher has …

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