TORONTO -- For the Cleveland Indians, the script was the same every game -- hope for the best from whoever they started, then count on Andrew Miller and the bullpen to close it out.
That plan seemed especially dicey in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series, with lightly used Ryan Merritt on the mound.
But out of nowhere, the rookie delivered.
Merritt coolly kept the Indians ahead until reinforcements arrived, and Cleveland earned its first trip to the World Series since 1997 by blanking the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Wednesday.
The 24-year-old lefty defied expectations, shutting down the powerful Blue Jays before exiting in the fifth inning. Thanks to a most unlikely pitching performance, a most unexpected team won the ALCS 4-1.
Cleveland, which has never hosted a World Series opener, will play Game 1 at Progressive Field on Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.
Manager Terry Francona's team will try to augment what's already been a scintillating year in Cleveland after LeBron James and the Cavaliers earned the city's first major pro sports championship since 1964.
The Indians' title drought dates to 1948. In 1997, they let a one-run lead get away in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 and lost to the Florida Marlins in the 11th.
"We always said if we could do it with this group it would be so special because this is as close to a family feel as you can get in a professional setting. So for that part of it, it is beyond feeling good," Francona said.
The Dodgers led the Cubs 2-1 going into Game 4 of the NLCS on Wednesday night. Cleveland didn't play either club this season.
Miller, acquired from the New York Yankees in a midseason trade, was selected the ALCS MVP as the Indians took their sixth pennant.
"I feel like I've said the word `special' a million times in the last 20 or 30 minutes. But it's the truth. It's a blast to be a part of," Miller said.
With all of 11 major league innings under his belt -- and only one start, on Sept. 30 -- Merritt took the mound and looked just like a seasoned vet . The lefty retired the first 10 batters and allowed a mere two hits before being pulled after 4 1/3 innings.
"I know they were counting on me," Merritt said. "Before the game, they came and told me they had my back, everybody had my back, good or bad. So that takes some pressure off, and I just went out there and pitched and trusted my team."
Merritt got taps on his heart and hat from teammates when he left the mound. Then it was up to Cleveland's tireless relievers to hold a three-run lead against the wild-card Blue Jays.
Miller again did most of the heavy lifting, going 2 2/3 innings before Cody Allen worked the ninth for a save . Winning pitcher Bryan Shaw tossed an inning before Miller came in.
Carlos Santana and Coco Crisp homered for the Indians.
With starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer dealing with injuries, the Indians kept defying the odds.
Cleveland overtook defending World Series champion Kansas City and topped a $196 million Detroit team to win the AL Central, then put an abrupt end to Big Papi's career, sweeping David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox in the Division Series.
The Indians stayed on a roll in the ALCS, shutting down the banging Blue Jays. Cleveland won despite hitting .168 in the series, with slick-fielding shortstop Francisco Lindor leading the way in going 7 for 19.
Toronto lost in the ALCS for the second straight year.
"I'm sure there will be some disappointments and grumbling and complaining about how you fell short again, but that's not coming from me," manager John Gibbons said. "Because I know what these guys did, and I think it's a pretty good accomplishment. The key is we want to take that next step one of these days. Hopefully, it's next year."
Merritt -- a Texas native drafted in the 16th round by Cleveland in 2011 -- hadn't pitched in a game since his late September start, although he'd gotten some work in this month in the instructional league at the Indians' spring training complex in Arizona.
A day after Toronto averted a sweep, the crowd at the roaring Rogers Centre expected the Blue Jays to roll over the rookie.
Maybe the Blue Jays did, too.
"With our experience in our lineup, I'm pretty sure he's going to be shaking in his boots more than we are," Toronto slugger Jose Bautista said after Game 4.
After the Blue Jays were eliminated, Bautista took a different tone.
"He seemed to make the right pitches at the right time," Bautista said. "Hats off to him."
After the game, Cleveland players chanted "boots" in the celebration, urging Merritt to pull cowboy boots from his locker and shake them.
Merritt struck out three batters in the first two innings -- all looking -- and didn't allow a baserunner until Josh Donaldson's one-out single in the fourth. After Russell Martin's bloop single with one out in the fifth, Francona leaned again on a bullpen that soaked up 8 1/3 innings in a Game 3 win Monday.
Shaw pitched an inning, and Miller came on with one out in the sixth and a runner on. Donaldson bounced into a double play on Miller's first pitch, and the tall lefty made it through the seventh and eighth with little trouble before giving way to Allen.
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first when Mike Napoli doubled and left fielder Ezequiel Carrera misplayed the ball off the wall for an error. Lindor scored from first on the play.
Santana and Crisp added solo shots in the third and fourth off Toronto starter Marco Estrada to put the AL Central champions up 3-0.
PRECEDENT
Merritt was the second pitcher to start a postseason game with only one previous regular-season start. Matt Moore of Tampa Bay did it in 2011 in Game 1 of the Division Series against Texas. Moore pitched seven scoreless innings that day.
CLEVELAND KIN
James posted video on his Instagram account of him and the Cavs watching the game's final out at a crowded Cleveland sports bar. James, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and others were gathered around a table by the front door, with fans pouring out into the street to watch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Francona said before the game that Bauer was supposed to have his lacerated right pinkie looked at by a doctor again. The idea was to see if the right-hander could potentially pitch out of the bullpen at all during this series after being lifted when he was bleeding in the first inning of Game 3.
Now the question is whether Bauer can be of any help in the World Series.
"Obviously, he needs to heal, but he can't just not throw," Francona said.
Bauer sliced his pinkie last week repairing one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby. During the boozy clubhouse celebration after Game 5, Bauer had his right arm wrapped in protective plastic.
UP NEXT
Indians: Cleveland returns home and rests up for the World Series.
Blue Jays: Toronto faces an uncertain offseason. Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders are in the final year of their contracts.
---
Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister
Cleveland Indians
That plan seemed especially dicey in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series, with lightly used Ryan Merritt on the mound.
But out of nowhere, the rookie delivered.
Merritt coolly kept the Indians ahead until reinforcements arrived, and Cleveland earned its first trip to the World Series since 1997 by blanking the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Wednesday.
The 24-year-old lefty defied expectations, shutting down the powerful Blue Jays before exiting in the fifth inning. Thanks to a most unlikely pitching performance, a most unexpected team won the ALCS 4-1.
Cleveland, which has never hosted a World Series opener, will play Game 1 at Progressive Field on Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.
Manager Terry Francona's team will try to augment what's already been a scintillating year in Cleveland after LeBron James and the Cavaliers earned the city's first major pro sports championship since 1964.
The Indians' title drought dates to 1948. In 1997, they let a one-run lead get away in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 and lost to the Florida Marlins in the 11th.
"We always said if we could do it with this group it would be so special because this is as close to a family feel as you can get in a professional setting. So for that part of it, it is beyond feeling good," Francona said.
The Dodgers led the Cubs 2-1 going into Game 4 of the NLCS on Wednesday night. Cleveland didn't play either club this season.
Miller, acquired from the New York Yankees in a midseason trade, was selected the ALCS MVP as the Indians took their sixth pennant.
"I feel like I've said the word `special' a million times in the last 20 or 30 minutes. But it's the truth. It's a blast to be a part of," Miller said.
With all of 11 major league innings under his belt -- and only one start, on Sept. 30 -- Merritt took the mound and looked just like a seasoned vet . The lefty retired the first 10 batters and allowed a mere two hits before being pulled after 4 1/3 innings.
"I know they were counting on me," Merritt said. "Before the game, they came and told me they had my back, everybody had my back, good or bad. So that takes some pressure off, and I just went out there and pitched and trusted my team."
Merritt got taps on his heart and hat from teammates when he left the mound. Then it was up to Cleveland's tireless relievers to hold a three-run lead against the wild-card Blue Jays.
Miller again did most of the heavy lifting, going 2 2/3 innings before Cody Allen worked the ninth for a save . Winning pitcher Bryan Shaw tossed an inning before Miller came in.
Carlos Santana and Coco Crisp homered for the Indians.
With starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer dealing with injuries, the Indians kept defying the odds.
Cleveland overtook defending World Series champion Kansas City and topped a $196 million Detroit team to win the AL Central, then put an abrupt end to Big Papi's career, sweeping David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox in the Division Series.
The Indians stayed on a roll in the ALCS, shutting down the banging Blue Jays. Cleveland won despite hitting .168 in the series, with slick-fielding shortstop Francisco Lindor leading the way in going 7 for 19.
Toronto lost in the ALCS for the second straight year.
"I'm sure there will be some disappointments and grumbling and complaining about how you fell short again, but that's not coming from me," manager John Gibbons said. "Because I know what these guys did, and I think it's a pretty good accomplishment. The key is we want to take that next step one of these days. Hopefully, it's next year."
Merritt -- a Texas native drafted in the 16th round by Cleveland in 2011 -- hadn't pitched in a game since his late September start, although he'd gotten some work in this month in the instructional league at the Indians' spring training complex in Arizona.
A day after Toronto averted a sweep, the crowd at the roaring Rogers Centre expected the Blue Jays to roll over the rookie.
Maybe the Blue Jays did, too.
"With our experience in our lineup, I'm pretty sure he's going to be shaking in his boots more than we are," Toronto slugger Jose Bautista said after Game 4.
After the Blue Jays were eliminated, Bautista took a different tone.
"He seemed to make the right pitches at the right time," Bautista said. "Hats off to him."
After the game, Cleveland players chanted "boots" in the celebration, urging Merritt to pull cowboy boots from his locker and shake them.
Merritt struck out three batters in the first two innings -- all looking -- and didn't allow a baserunner until Josh Donaldson's one-out single in the fourth. After Russell Martin's bloop single with one out in the fifth, Francona leaned again on a bullpen that soaked up 8 1/3 innings in a Game 3 win Monday.
Shaw pitched an inning, and Miller came on with one out in the sixth and a runner on. Donaldson bounced into a double play on Miller's first pitch, and the tall lefty made it through the seventh and eighth with little trouble before giving way to Allen.
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the first when Mike Napoli doubled and left fielder Ezequiel Carrera misplayed the ball off the wall for an error. Lindor scored from first on the play.
Santana and Crisp added solo shots in the third and fourth off Toronto starter Marco Estrada to put the AL Central champions up 3-0.
PRECEDENT
Merritt was the second pitcher to start a postseason game with only one previous regular-season start. Matt Moore of Tampa Bay did it in 2011 in Game 1 of the Division Series against Texas. Moore pitched seven scoreless innings that day.
CLEVELAND KIN
James posted video on his Instagram account of him and the Cavs watching the game's final out at a crowded Cleveland sports bar. James, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith and others were gathered around a table by the front door, with fans pouring out into the street to watch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: Francona said before the game that Bauer was supposed to have his lacerated right pinkie looked at by a doctor again. The idea was to see if the right-hander could potentially pitch out of the bullpen at all during this series after being lifted when he was bleeding in the first inning of Game 3.
Now the question is whether Bauer can be of any help in the World Series.
"Obviously, he needs to heal, but he can't just not throw," Francona said.
Bauer sliced his pinkie last week repairing one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby. During the boozy clubhouse celebration after Game 5, Bauer had his right arm wrapped in protective plastic.
UP NEXT
Indians: Cleveland returns home and rests up for the World Series.
Blue Jays: Toronto faces an uncertain offseason. Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders are in the final year of their contracts.
---
Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Cleveland - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Santana fouled out to catcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Kipnis flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Lindor singled to shallow left. | 0 | 0 |
| Napoli doubled to deep left center, Lindor to third, Lindor scored on error by left fielder Carrera. | 1 | 0 |
| Ramírez grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Ryan Merritt pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Bautista grounded out to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Donaldson grounded out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Encarnación struck out looking. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Chisenhall struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Crisp flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Naquin struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Ryan Merritt pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Tulowitzki flied out to right. | 1 | 0 |
| Martin struck out looking. | 1 | 0 |
| Upton Jr. struck out looking. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Pérez struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Santana homered to right (413 feet). | 2 | 0 |
| Kipnis flied out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| Lindor singled to shallow left center. | 2 | 0 |
| Napoli struck out looking. | 2 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Ryan Merritt pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Carrera flied out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| Pillar grounded out to third. | 2 | 0 |
| Barney popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Ramírez popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| Chisenhall struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Crisp homered to right (391 feet). | 3 | 0 |
| Naquin popped out to third. | 3 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Merritt pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Bautista flied out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Donaldson singled to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Encarnación grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Donaldson out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Pérez flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Santana grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Kipnis flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Merritt pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Tulowitzki flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Martin singled to shallow right. | 3 | 0 |
| Shaw relieved Merritt. | 3 | 0 |
| Saunders hit for Upton Jr.. | 3 | 0 |
| Saunders singled to shallow center, Martin to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Carrera struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Pillar struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Marco Estrada pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Lindor struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Napoli struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| Ramírez flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Bryan Shaw pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Barney grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Bautista singled to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Miller relieved Shaw. | 3 | 0 |
| Donaldson grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Bautista out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Brett Cecil pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Cecil relieved Estrada. | 3 | 0 |
| Chisenhall grounded out to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Davis hit for Crisp. | 3 | 0 |
| Davis struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Naquin grounded out to first. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Andrew Miller pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Davis in left field. | 3 | 0 |
| Encarnación flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Tulowitzki grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Martin grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Joe Biagini pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Biagini relieved Cecil. | 3 | 0 |
| Pérez struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Santana flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Kipnis grounded out to pitcher. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Andrew Miller pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Navarro hit for Saunders. | 3 | 0 |
| Navarro singled to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Carrera struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Pillar grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Navarro out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| Barney flied out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cleveland - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Roberto Osuna pitching for Toronto | CLE | TOR |
| Osuna relieved Biagini. | 3 | 0 |
| Lindor hit a ground rule double to deep right center. | 3 | 0 |
| Napoli lined out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Ramírez grounded out to second, Lindor to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Chisenhall struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Cody Allen pitching for Cleveland | CLE | TOR |
| Allen relieved Miller. | 3 | 0 |
| Bautista doubled to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Donaldson struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Encarnación struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Tulowitzki fouled out to first. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Cleveland Indians
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santana 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | .167 | .250 | .500 |
| Kipnis 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .053 | .100 | .211 |
| Lindor SS | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .368 | .400 | .579 |
| Napoli DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | .188 | .278 | .500 |
| Ramírez 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .059 | .059 | .059 |
| Chisenhall RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 | .250 | .250 | .250 |
| Crisp LF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .250 | .400 | .625 |
a-Davis PH-LF
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Naquin CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| Pérez C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | .143 | .200 | .214 |
| Totals | 33 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 125 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for C Crisp in the 7th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Napoli (2, Estrada); Lindor (1, Osuna) HR: Santana (2, 3rd inning off Estrada 0 on, 1 Out); Crisp (1, 4th inning off Estrada 0 on, 2 Out) RBI: Santana (2), Crisp (1) 2-out RBI: Crisp Indians RISP: 0-4 (Chisenhall 0-1, Napoli 0-1, Ramírez 0-2) Team LOB: 3 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 2 (Lindor-Kipnis-Santana 2). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON |
| Attendance | 48,800 (99% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:37 |
| Weather | indoors |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Mike Everitt, First Base - Jeff Nelson, Second Base - Mark Wegner, Third Base - Jim Wolf, Left Field - Brian Gorman, Right Field - Jim Reynolds |
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