Oct 6, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes (7) hits the game-winning RBI-single during the 13th inning in game two of the 2017 ALDS against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
CLEVELAND — Yan Gomes’ RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning gave the Cleveland Indians a wild 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday.
The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which resumes Sunday in New York.
Austin Jackson led off the bottom of the 13th by drawing a walk from Dellin Betances (0-1), and then stealing second base. Gomes then worked the count to 3-2, and hit a hard chopper down the third base line that eluded diving third baseman Ronald Torreyes. The ball rolled down the left field line as Jackson raced home with the winning run.
Josh Tomlin (1-0), the last of eight Cleveland pitchers, pitched two scoreless innings to get the win.
Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and Greg Bird homered for the Yankees, who blew an 8-3 lead.
Trailing by 5 runs, the Indians got a grand slam from Francisco Lindor off Chad Green in the sixth inning to cut it to 8-7, and Jay Bruce’s solo home run off David Robertson leading off the eighth tied it at 8-8.
Lindor’s grand slam occurred after Lonnie Chisenhall was hit by a pitch, though replays showed the ball hit the bat. The Yankees did not challenge and Lindor hit a 1-0 pitch down the right field line.
Cleveland starter Corey Kluber had his worst outing of the year. He gave up six runs in 2 2/3 innings and was in constant trouble.
With one out in the first inning, Aaron Judge drew a four-pitch walk, and Sanchez belted a home run over the center field wall, giving New York a 2-0 lead.
The Indians tied it in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two runs despite getting just one hit. An error by Yankee third baseman Todd Frazier, a four-pitch walk to Jose Ramirez, and a hit batter (Edwin Encarnacion), loaded the bases with one out.
Carlos Santana stroked a single to left field, driving in two runs to tie the game.
The Indians then lost Encarnacion to a sprained ankle after he jammed his right leg into second base.
Cleveland took a brief 3-2 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Jason Kipnis.
The Yankees knocked Kluber out when Hicks hit a three-run homer over the right field wall.
Yankees starter CC Sabathia wobbled early, but then retired 11 men in a row from the second through the fifth innings. The Yankees pushed their lead to 8-3 on a two-run homer by Bird off Mike Clevinger in the fifth inning.
Sabathia was relieved by Green, with a runner at first and one out in the sixth. Green retired Jackson but couldn’t get the third out.
NOTES: Indians Manager Terry Francona said OF Michael Brantley might start in left field in Game 3 Brantley hasn’t played in left field since Aug. 8, when he suffered a sprained right ankle that caused him to miss most of the rest of the regular season. He did get two at bats in the last two games of the season, but those came as a pinch hitter and designated hitter. … Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury started at DH Friday in place of INF Chase Headley. Manager Joe Girardi said it was because Ellsbury had the most success — a career .263 average (5-for-19) — against RHP Corey Kluber than any Yankees player. … Yankees RF Aaron Judge faced RHP Corey Kluber for the first time in his career Friday. Judge did not play in the two games Kluber started against New York during the regular season.
