It’s time for the do-or-die ALDS Game 5, as the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians head back to Progressive Field to decide who will move on to the championship series.
The New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians are tied at two
games apiece in the best-of-five 2017 American League Division Series and it’s time to pick who will advance to the ALCS to face the Astros.
Wednesday’s starters consist of the same matchup from Game 2, as CC Sabatia will match up AL Cy Young-favorite Corey Kluber.
Sabathia did not record a decision in the second game of the series despite exiting with the Yankees ahead by a score of 8-3. In his first postseason appearance since 2012, the 37-year-old fanned five over 5.1 innings of three-hit, four-run (two earned run) ball. He also retired 12 of his final 13 batters faced (1BB)…exited with while the three hits allowed marked his fewest in a non-rain-shortened postseason start.
Unfortunately for Kluber, his start to the 2017 playoffs wasn’t as positive.
The 31-year-old surrendered six earned runs on seven hits including two home runs to Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks, marking his second consecutive postseason start in which he allowed multi-home runs.
Lineups:
How To Watch:
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Radio: ESPN Radio, WFAN 660AM/101.9FM (English), WADO 1280AM (Spanish)
- Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Bounce Back:
The Yankees tabbed six earned runs off Kluber back in Game 2, but the ace’s resiliency comes with a track record. The last time the Cy Young-favorite had six earned runs scored on him was on April 15, 2017, in a game against the Detroit Tigers. Kluber followed that start with a three-hit complete game shutout against the Chicago White Sox.
Right Man For The Job:
Yankees’ starter CC Sabathia is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 13 strikeouts in two career “winner-takes-all” postseason games. He allowed only one run in a complete game against Baltimore in Game 5 of the 2012 ALDS and allowed one run in 1.1 innings of relief in ALDS Game 5 against Detroit in 2011.
Power Couple:
After hitting a home run in the sixth inning of Game 4, Gary Sanchez joined first baseman Greg Bird as the first pair of Yankees teammates, 24-or-younger, to hit multiple home runs in the same postseason.
All On The Line:
The Cleveland Indians have lost five straight potential postseason series-clinching games and 16 of their last 19 such games since 1999. On the flip side, New York is 3-0 this postseason in potential elimination games.