INDIANS POUNCE ON JAYS FOR 2-0 WIN IN ALCS OPENER

He’s got a ton of talent,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of Lindor. “I just think you can tell how much he enjoys playing the game. Shoot, if I had his ability, I’d feel confident, too.”

Indians ace Corey Kluber matched wits with Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada, with the lone breakthrough coming via Lindor’s shot to the seats in front of the bullpens in right-center field. Both starters were brilliant in the early going, though Kluber was asked to sidestep potential harm more often. Toronto repeatedly threatened with two strikes or two outs, and Kluber pushed back, denying the Blue Jays at every turn.

Then, Lindor gave his team a lead.

“If we can get deep in a ballgame and get a lead to our bullpen,” Kluber said, “I feel like we have a really good shot. Those guys have all been doing an unbelievable job down there [in the bullpen]. That’s our game plan — to try to get them a lead and let them go out and do their thing.”

Throughout the AL Division Series, Francona showed that given an advantage, no matter how slight, he would indeed lean heavily on his relief corps. The leader of the leverage army has been lefty Andrew Miller, and the southpaw took over for Kluber with one out in the seventh inning. As Kluber walked off the mound, he was treated to an appreciative cry: “Kluuuuube!”