The Toronto Blue Jays now find themselves on the brink of elimination after losing to the Cleveland Indians 4-2 at Rogers Centre in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
The Indians rebounded from the early exit of starting pitcher Trevor Bauer to take the lead in the fourth inning and did not fall behind in the game again. The Indians would send six pitchers to the mound with reliever Bryan Shaw being awarded the win. The Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman went into the sixth inning but allowed all four Indians runs to take the loss.
The Indians are now one win away from their first appearance in the World Series since 1997, when they lost in seven games to the Florida, now Miami, Marlins.
Mike Napoli's solo shot in the fourth inning would be enough to put the Indians ahead. He had been batting .111 going onto the game.
Cleveland scored a run in the first on Napoli's RBI double off the right field wall, but Bauer would leave the game in the bottom of that inning, when a cut on his pitching hand split open and caused profuse bleeding.
Michael Saunders would tie things up for Toronto in the second inning with a solo home run. Ezequiel Carrera would be the only Blue Jay with more than one hit in the game, going two for three with a triple.
The Jays will try to hold off elimination Tuesday in Game 4 at Rogers Centre. Toronto will send Aaron Sanchez to the mound while Cleveland counters with Corey Kluber. Game time is 4pm.