Indians’ Trevor Bauer Forced Out Of Game 3, 4-2 Win Over Blue Jays; Cleveland Leads ALCS 3-0

Trevor Bauer was forced out of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night following a bloody finger stemming from a freak injury, but the Cleveland Indians nevertheless came away with a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Indians’ Trevor Bauer Forced Out Of Game 3, 4-2 Win Over Blue Jays; Cleveland Leads ALCS 3-0

The Indians now lead the ALCS 3-0, and are one win away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1997. Guided by another strong outing from Andrew Miller, six relievers appeared for the Tribe, helping the team become the first in playoff history to win without having at least one pitcher record more than five outs.

Indians team president Chris Antonetti summed it up best.

“I don’t think anyone could’ve written this script,” Antonetti said.

Bauer was pitching with stitches in his right pinkie finger after suffering a cut in a drone accident, and in the bottom of the first the stitches opened up and turned his throwing hand into a bloody mess. Bauer left the game after only two outs.

He tweeted this photo and message following the game:

After the righty’s exit, the Cleveland bullpen put together 8 1/3 fantastic innings. Miller closed it out, earning three strikeouts in 1 1/3 frames to earn the save and build on his great month. The left-hander now has an ALCS-record 13 strikeouts out of the bullpen for the Indians, who became the fifth team in history to open the postseason with a winning streak of at least six games. (The 2014 Royals started 8-0, and the ’07 Rockies started 7-0. Both lost the World Series.)

Mike Napoli opened scoring for the Tribe with an RBI double in the first, and then gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead with a solo homer off Toronto starter Marcus Stroman in the fourth. Stroman went 5 1/3 innings in a losing effort, and Jason Kipnis also scored off him.

“What words do you even put on that? Unbelievable, right?” Bauer said of the bullpen’s showing. “They came in and did what they’ve done all year. They shut the game down easily.”

The Indians have reached this point without starters Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco, and while dealing with recent health setbacks for ace Corey Kluber and Bauer.

The primary reason the Indians find themselves in this position has been their dominance on the mound, and that was the case again on Monday.

“That wasn’t the way we drew it up,” said Terry Francona, Cleveland’s skipper. “But about our bullpen, that’s one of the most amazing jobs I’ve ever seen. I mean, starting with Otero to Manship to McAllister to Shaw, if anybody has a hiccup, we probably lose.”

The Tribe’s relievers have been down this road before. During the regular season, Cleveland’s bullpen was forced to log eight-plus innings four times, posting a 1.09 ERA with a .133 opponents’ batting average in those games. On Monday, the six Indians relievers scattered seven hits and one walk.

“There was no panic at all,” Zach McAllister said. “Once that happened, everyone kind of settled down and knew our name might be called within an inning or within two innings. Everyone was prepared.”

Game 4 of the ALCS is set for Tuesday night. Given Bauer’s early exit, Kluber will start for the Indians. Kluber spun 6 1/3 shutout innings in Game 1 and has turned in 13 1/3 scoreless innings this postseason.

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez will start for the Blue Jays. Sanchez has not pitched since facing the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the ALDS on Oct. 9, when he allowed six runs over 5 1/3 innings in a series-clinching victory.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 17: Trevor Bauer #47 of the Cleveland Indians throws a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 17, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)