Bauer dominates and Gray disappoints as Indians grab ALDS Game One 4-0

The Yankees entered Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday night coming off the emotional high of their win in the Wildcard game on Tuesday night. With Corey Kluber looming on Friday, Game 1 was of key importance to Yankees’ hopes of making this a long and competitive series. The match up pitted Sonny Gray against Indians right hander Trevor Bauer and it was clear right from the jump that this was an energized Indians team with a raucous crowd behind them. The Indians jumped on top early and were able ride the momentum to a 4-0 victory.

Credit: Davd Dermer AP Photo

Sonny Gray did not pitch well in this game and it started right out of the gate with the Indians using a walk, a few groundouts and a wild pitch to get a man all the way to third. Gray was able to strand that runner and escape without trouble but the Indians would come right back in the second inning to put more pressure on Gray.

With Gray struggling with his command, the Indians would load the bases with no outs. Gray would buckle down and escape with minimal damage, using a run scoring double play and a fly out to get out of the inning. After giving up a two-run home run to Jay Bruce in the fourth, the Indians put two more runners on base and Gray was lifted from the game with one out in the inning. Adam Warren emerged from the bullpen and escaped the inning without further trouble.

Credit: David Dermer AP Photo

While the Indians reached base early and often the Yankees were having trouble reaching base at all. Bauer held the Yankees hitless through the first five innings while striking out six and allowing the Yankees their only baserunner on a walk. Aaron Hicks would record the Yankees first hit with one out in the sixth but Bauer would escape the inning with no damage.

The Indians added another run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Bruce and Warren gave way to Jaime Garcia who was able to give the team some badly need length out of the pen. Garcia pitched 2.2 scoreless innings and kept the game close to give the offense a chance to come back. Dellin Betances finally reappeared from the bullpen following Garcia and pitched a dominant inning, striking out the side and looking very sharp. Having Betances back to form would be a great weapon for the Yankees if they ever find themselves with a late inning lead in this series.

After Bauer departed the game Andrew Miller came on and was able to get the ball to closer Cody Allen despite some heat from the Yankee offense. Allen recorded the last out of the eighth inning and then pitched around a base hit in the ninth to lock down the game for the Indians.  

Winning Pitcher: Trevor Bauer (1-0, 0.00 ERA) 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K

Losing Pitcher: Sonny Gray (0-1, 8.10 ERA) 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 K

The Yankees and the Indians will do it all again for Game 2 on Friday evening at 5pm with the game broadcasting on the MLB Network. The probable starters are CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69 ERA) and Corey Kluber (18-4, 2.25 ERA).  

Notables:

Aaron Judge: 0-4, 4 K

Starlin Castro: 2-4

Aaron Hicks: 1-3, 2 K

Jay Bruce: 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R

Article by Matt Graziano

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