Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) hits a solo home run during the third inning against the Cleveland Indians in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Photo Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
TORONTO — Josh Donaldson homered, Aaron Sanchez allowed two hits in six innings, Edwin Encarnacion had two RBIs and the Toronto Blue Jays staved off elimination Tuesday with a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Cleveland leads the best-of-seven American League Championship Series three games to one and could clinch a berth in the World Series on Wednesday at Rogers Centre by winning Game 5.
Cleveland right-hander Corey Kluber (2-1), starting on three days’ rest for the first time in his career, allowed four hits, two walks, and two runs while striking out seven in five innings. The runs were the first he has allowed in this postseason.
Sanchez (1-0) held the Indians to two walks and one run. The right-hander struck out five.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead on the first homer of this postseason by Donaldson with two out in the third.
An RBI single by Ezequiel Carrera gave Toronto a 2-0 lead in the fourth. The flare to center came with one out after Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin opened the inning with consecutive walks.
Roberto Perez hit an RBI double with two out in the fifth to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 2-1. It scored Coco Crisp, who walked and took second on a wild pitch. Donaldson, the third baseman, kept the lead intact when he made a diving stop on Carlos Santana and threw the designated hitter out at first.
Dan Otero replaced Kluber in the bottom of the sixth and pitched around singles by Tulowitzki and Michael Saunders.
Brett Cecil pitched a perfect top of the seventh for Toronto.
Bryan Shaw, Cleveland’s third pitcher, allowed a leadoff single to Ryan Goins in the bottom of the seventh. Shaw threw errantly to first on a squibber by Jose Bautista that put runners at the corners. Donaldson was intentionally walked to load the bases with none out.
Encarnacion hit a two-run single to center and took second when Donaldson was thrown out trying to advance to third. Toronto led 4-1. Mike Clevinger replaced Shaw.
Blue Jays reliever Jason Grilli was perfect in the top of the eighth.
Carrera hit his second triple of the postseason with one out in the bottom of the eighth and scored when Kevin Pillar lined a sacrifice fly to right, where Brandon Guyer made a sparkling catch.
Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth for the Blue Jays.
NOTES: Cleveland set an American League postseason record in Game 3 on Monday, using seven pitchers in a nine-inning victory. The previous record was six, which was accomplished 17 times. The National League record is eight. Cleveland was forced to use six relievers in the 4-2 win after RHP Trevor Bauer lasted only two-thirds of an inning in his start because of a cut pinky finger, the result of playing with a drone last week. The Indians are the first team in postseason history to win a game in which none of its pitchers logged at least two innings. … OF Michael Saunders, who is from British Columbia, became the second Canadian to hit a postseason home run for the Blue Jays on Monday when he went deep in the second inning. C Russell Martin is the other Canadian with a postseason homer for Toronto.
