The Indians made quick work of the Red Sox in the ALDS, using the minimum three games to dispatch of the crew from Beantown. They won 4-3 on Monday evening.
After both teams put up zeroes through the first three innings, the Indians broke through in the top of the fourth, scoring twice against Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz. Jose Ramirez led off with a single and Lonnie Chisenhall walked. Coco Crisp moved both runners over with a bunt, and Tyler Naquin brought both home with a single to right field.
The Red Sox clawed back for a run in the bottom of the fifth against Indians starter Josh Tomlin, as a one-out single by Xander Bogaerts followed by a double by Andrew Benintendi plated one.
Coco Crisp doubled the Indians’ run total, striking a two-run home run over the Green Monster in the top of the sixth off of lefty Drew Pomeranz. The Red Sox would promptly fight back for another run in the bottom of the sixth. Dustin Pedroia led off with a single, prompting Indians manager Terry Francona to bring in All-Star reliever Andrew Miller. The lefty got into hot water, yielding a double to Mookie Betts followed by a sacrifice fly by David Ortiz. But Miller struck out Hanley Ramirez to escape the frame with the score 4-2 in his team’s favor.
Miller remained in the game to start the seventh. He worked around a one-out walk for another scoreless frame. Bryan Shaw came on in the eighth inning and sandwiched a Travis Shaw single with a strikeout of Dustin Pedroia and a Mookie Betts ground out. Closer Cody Allen entered and walked David Ortiz before serving up a line drive single to Hanley Ramirez, who brought Betts home to make it 4-3. Allen escaped by the skin of his teeth when Bogaerts lined out to second baseman Jason Kipnis.
Allen returned in the ninth, getting Chris Young to fly out to left for the first out. Allen then struck out Sandy Leon looking. After Jackie Bradley, Jr. singled to bring the tying run to the plate in Pedroia. Pedroia worked a walk, pushing the tying run into scoring position. Shaw finally flied out to right field to end the game in a 4-3 victory for the Indians.
With both the Indians and Blue Jays sweeping their ALDS opponents, both will have to wait until Friday to open the ALCS. The Indians have home field advantage in that series.
