BOSTON – The Cleveland Indians swept the Boston Red Sox out of the postseason and sent David Ortiz into retirement on Monday with a 4-3 victory that completed a three-game American League Division Series sweep.
Coco Crisp hit a two-run homer, closer Cody Allen got four outs and the Indians advanced to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2007. That year, they took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against Boston before losing three in a row.
Cleveland also blew a 2-0 lead against Boston in the best-of-five round in 1999.
But this year there would be no fold.
Perhaps inspired by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA title — the city’s first pro sports championship since 1964 — the Indians shut down Ortiz and the most prolific offense in the league. Rookie Tyler Naquin delivered a two-run single and Josh Tomlin pitched five strong innings for the Indians, who will open the ALCS at home against Toronto on Friday.
Cleveland went 4-3 this year against the wild-card Blue Jays, who swept AL West champion Texas to reach the ALCS for the second straight year.
“Nobody in this clubhouse doubts what we’re what capable of,” reliever Andrew Miller said as corks popped in the visitors’ clubhouse. “I think we saw in our games in Cleveland how much support we have. . . . I think we have bigger things ahead of us, but it’s not going to be any easier.”
To advance, the Indians had to shut down the most prolific offense in the major leagues and weather the emotional farewell to Ortiz. The Red Sox designated hitter went 1-for-9 in the series, collecting a sacrifice fly in Game 3 before walking on four pitches in his final plate appearance.
Ortiz was lifted for a pinch runner in the eighth and left to a standing ovation.
After winning the first two games in the ALDS, and then waiting an extra day because of Sunday’s rainout, the Indians took a 2-0 lead off Clay Buchholz in the fourth on Naquin’s single.
Tomlin gave up Andrew Benintendi’s Green Monster-scraping RBI double in the fifth, which gave some life to the Fenway crowd. However, in the sixth, Crisp hit a two-run shot over the left-field wall to make it 4-1.
After walking on four pitches in the eighth, Ortiz stood on first and waved his arms at the fans. They rose to cheer for him and stayed there as Hanley Ramirez singled to make it 4-3.
With Allen pitching in the bottom of the ninth, Jackie Bradley Jr. singled with two outs and Dustin Pedroia drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Travis Shaw worked the count full but then popped up to end it.
Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara worked a scoreless eighth inning and struck out one.
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