Francisco Lindor's home run lifts Indians over Blue Jays in ALCS Game 1
Francisco Lindor hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning Friday to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 2-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
It was a pitchers' duel throughout at Cleveland's Progressive Field, as Toronto's Marco Estrada went toe-to-toe with Cleveland ace Corey Kluber. Estrada breezed early on, while Kluber found himself in jams early and often, allowing two runners on in each of the first three innings. But both men kept zeroes on the board until the bottom of the sixth.
After Carlos Santana grounded out for the Indians, Jason Kipnis drew a walk. Then Lindor came up and gave Kluber all the help he would need, launching a two-run blast to center:
"I was just trying to get a good pitch and hit it back up the middle," Lindor said after the game. That he did.
Kluber got the first out in the seventh before being replaced by Andrew Miller. He and closer Cody Allen finished off the shutout for Cleveland. They combined to strike out six and allow just one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings.
Estrada ended up throwing a complete game for the Jays, giving up six hits and striking out six over eight innings in a tough-luck losing effort.
Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson and Michael Saunders all had two hits for the Jays, but the rest of the lineup was silent, combining for just one other hit. Jose Bautista was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts on the one-year anniversary of his epic bat flip. After averaging over seven runs per game in an ALDS sweep of the Texas Rangers, the Jays were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position Friday.
Game 2 is Saturday back in Cleveland. J.A. Happ gets the start for the Blue Jays against the Indians' Josh Tomlin.
Need runs? @Lindor12BC’s got you. https://t.co/XPJH91uAbz #ALCS pres. by @TMobile pic.twitter.com/hvjaQgwSMu
— MLB (@MLB) October 15, 2016
The Land is LIT. https://t.co/whj6cuoxAx #ALCS pic.twitter.com/auaSMKNDBM
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 15, 2016
