x
Breaking News
More () »

RECAP: Cleveland Indians' season ends with Game 5 loss to New York Yankees in 2017 ALDS

The Cleveland Indians’ historic 2017 season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field Wednesday night.
Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber (28) delivers a pitch during the first inning of Game 5 of the 2017 ALDS against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field.

11:47 p.m.- HISTORIC CLEVELAND INDIANS SEASON COMES TO END WITH LOSS TO NEW YORK YANKEES IN GAME 5 OF 2017 ALDS

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians’ historic 2017 season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field Wednesday night.

After winning the first two games of the best-of-five series, the Indians dropped three straight contests as their offense went into a slump, the defense made costly errors that led to unearned runs and the starting pitching wore out as the innings and outings piled up.

Over the final four games of the series, the Indians led just once, when catcher Yan Gomes delivered an RBI single to clinch the come-from-behind victory in the 13th inning of Game 2. The Yankees led or were tied with the Indians for 39 innings over the final four games of the series.

11:33 p.m.-NEW YORK YANKEES TALLY TWO INSURANCE RUNS

CLEVELAND -- Thanks to a pair of Cleveland Indians miscues, the New York Yankees added two insurance runs and took a 5-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

New York center fielder Aaron Hicks started the rally with a one-out single to left field that Jackson overran, which gave Hicks an extra base. Then, two batters later, third baseman Todd Frazier drew a walk to put runners at first and second with two outs.

Left fielder Brett Gardner followed with a 12-pitch at-bat against Indians closer Cody Allen, where he fouled off six offerings, including five straight at one point, before getting an RBI single to right field that brought in Hicks. Frazier came around to score when Bruce overthrew the cut-off man and was charged with the Indians’ second error of the inning.

9:45 p.m.-INDIANS GET TWO RUNS ON THE BOARD IN FIFTH

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians were able to string together four straight singles, and two of those hits drove in runs, which cut the New York Yankees’ lead down to a run, 3-2, after the fifth inning of Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

Left fielder Austin Jackson got the rally going with a one-out single to center field off of Yankees starter CC Sabathia. After fouling off the first pitch from Sabathia, Jackson took two straight cutters out of the strike zone before catching up to one and lining it into center field.

Then, right fielder Jay Bruce smacked a Sabathia pitch into right field and moved Jackson over to second base. Catcher Roberto Perez followed with a single to right field of his own that drove in Jackson for Cleveland’s first run of the game and allowed Bruce to go from first base to third.

Bruce came around to score Cleveland’s second run of the inning when third baseman Giovanny Urshela poked a single to right field, which drove Sabathia from the game.

9:15 p.m.-KLUBER PULLED AFTER 3.2 INNINGS OF WORK

CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona wanted starter Corey Kluber on the mound against the New York Yankees for a deciding Game 5 in the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field, but the best-laid plans often go awry.

Kluber allowed three hits and three runs, all earned, along with two walks over 3.2 innings of work and left the game with the Indians facing a 3-0 deficit in the fourth inning of the winner-take-all contest. Of those three hits Kluber allowed, two were home runs off the bat of Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius.

Kluber fooled plenty of Yankees hitters in their first two times through the batting order, as evidenced by his six strikeouts, but Gregorius was not one of them.

For the second time in as many at-bats, Gregorius belted a home run to the seats in right field, the second of which was a two-run blast that gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead over the Indians, who went hitless in their first three trips to the plate.

With left fielder Brett Gardner on first base after a lead-off single to right field, Gregorius smashed a knee-high curveball well over the wall in right field.

The Yankees were down to their final strike in the top of the first inning, but Gregorius delivered with a solo home run into the seats in right field for a 1-0 lead over the Indians.

On a 1-2 pitch from Kluber, Gregorius turned on the 94-mile-per-hour fastball on the inside part of the plate and belted it well into the first deck of seats at Progressive Field for his second home run of the 2017 postseason.

Prior to Game 5 of the ALDS, Gregorius was hitting just .125 with two hits in 16 at-bats over five games, but one of those hits was a home run. Additionally, Gregorius had three RBI, two runs scored, seven walks and just four strikeouts in five postseason games this season.

8:56 p.m.-GREGORIUS DOES IT AGAIN

CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber has fooled plenty of New York Yankees hitters in his first two times through the batting order, but shortstop Didi Gregorius has not been one of them in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

For the second time in as many at-bats, Gregorius belted a home run to the seats in right field, the second of which was a two-run blast that gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead over the Indians, who went hitless in this first two trips to the plate.

With left fielder Brett Gardner on first base after a lead-off single to right field, Gregorius smashed a knee-high curveball well over the wall in right field.

8:38 p.m.-KLUBER WORKS AROUND TROUBLE IN SECOND INNING

CLEVELAND -- The New York Yankees certainly threatened to add onto their lead in the top of the second inning, but Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber kept them at bay, which held the score at 1-0, in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

After striking out first baseman Greg Bird swinging and getting second baseman Starlin Castro out on a grounder to his counterpart for the Indians, Jose Ramirez, Kluber allowed a walk to center fielder Aaron Hicks, and then, designated hitter Jacoby Ellsbury reached on catcher’s interference.

Despite having two runners on, Kluber got third baseman Todd Frazier to fly out to Jay Bruce in right field for the final out of the frame.

8:14 p.m.-YANKEES TAKE EARLY LEAD ON GREGORIUS HR

CLEVELAND -- The New York Yankees were down to their final strike in the top of the first inning, but shortstop Didi Gregorius delivered with a solo home run into the seats in right field for a 1-0 lead over the Cleveland Indians in Game 5 of the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

On a 1-2 pitch from Indians ace Corey Kluber, Gregorius turned on the 94-mile-per-hour fastball on the inside part of the plate and belted it well into the first deck of seats at Progressive Field for his second home run of the 2017 postseason.

Although Kluber gave up the early run, he rebounded by striking out catcher Gary Sanchez swinging to end the inning. Earlier in the frame, Kluber set down right fielder Aaron Judge swinging. It was Judge’s 13th strikeout of the ALDS, which tied a Major League record for the most in a playoff series.

5:00 p.m.-GAME INFORMATION

CLEVELAND -- One team moves onto the ALCS and one team goes home after tonight’s deciding Game 5 matchup between the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees in the 2017 American League Division Series at Progressive Field.

Game 2 starters Corey Kluber (Indians) and CC Sabathia (Yankees) will take the mound in the winner-take-all Game 5 matchup in Cleveland.

Kluber allowed seven hits, six earned runs and one walk against just four strikeouts over 2.2 innings of work before exiting Game 2, which is uncharacteristic of a player considered by many to be the favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award.

Sabathia allowed only two earned runs and three hits, but surrendered three walks against five strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work in Game 2 of the AL Division Series, which the Yankees dominated early, only to succumb to the Indians in 13 innings.

Additionally, the Indians will get some pop back in their lineup, as designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion will return to the team after missing the last two-plus games because of a badly sprained right ankle suffered in the second inning of Game 2.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Join the conversation during Game 5 of the 2017 ALDS by tweeting at us using the hashtag, #3Indians.

Before You Leave, Check This Out