Indians Beat The Yankees, 9-8, To Take 2-0 Lead In ALDS

CLEVELAND, OH — Thank you Yan Gomes. The Tribe catcher drove in the winning run in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, and defeat the New Yankees 9-8. The Indians now have a 2-0 lead in the ALDS.

And, if you like drama and baseball, this game was for you: 13 innings of back and forth baseball. A Francisco Lindor grand slam. Some spectacular defense. A few really botched plays. And two exhausted pitching staffs.

For the Tribe, it was the bullpen that went the distance of this marathon. After starter — and Indians ace — Corey Kluber got rocked for six runs early, seven relievers went 10-plus innings. Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin, a regular season starter for the Tribe, came into the game in the 12th inning and threw two perfect innings. Tomlin collected his first win of the postseason.

For the Yankees, Dellin Betances pitched two scoreless innings — until Gomes stepped to the plate more than five hours after the game began and knocked a single down the third base line and Austin Jackson scored from second. Betances took the loss for the Yankees. And, both teams had their rough moments: The Yankees defense had three errors, to the Indians' two errors.

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When the game looked bleak for the Tribe, Lindor came to the plate and got things fired up. Down 3-8 to Yankees in the bottom of the sixth shortstop, Lindor hit a grand slam to draw the Indians within one. In the bottom of the eighth, right fielder Jay Bruce, the star offensive player in Game 1, delivered a game-tying solo homerun.

"Santa Maria!"

Watch the rest of #ALDS Game 2 on MLB Network! Visit https://t.co/tmrbR6Aud6 for channel info. pic.twitter.com/1Ebg7YIi1G
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 6, 2017

The Yankees struck in the first, when Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez hit a two-run homer off Indians starter Corey Kluber. The Tribe, though, came back with a pair of runs by Lindor and second baseman Jose Ramirez on a single by first baseman Carlos Santana. The Tribe added a run in the second, but the 3-2 lead did not last long.

In the top of the third, the Yankees' Sanchez scored to tie the game. Minutes later, with two on, Kluber threw his last pitch of the night to Aaron Hicks, who sent it over the right field fence to score three more runs. The Yankees added two more in the fifth on a homer from Yankees first baseman Greg Bird.

Tribe fans had a collective sigh in the bottom of the first, when designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, on second base, scrambled to get back on base and rolled his ankle. He fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Michael Brantley, a late addition to the Indians' playoff roster, came into the game and took over as DH.

Encarnacion's condition was still unknown by late in the game Friday.

The Indians will travel to the Bronx for Game 3 of the ALDS on Sunday. Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco (18-6, 3.29 ERA) will face Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (13-12, 4.74 ERA)

Lead photo: Cleveland Indians' Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting a grand slam off New York Yankees relief pitcher Chad Green during the sixth inning of Game 2 of a baseball American League Division Series, Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)