Bird blast saves Yankees in 1-0 Game 3 win

Photo Courtesy:Cleveland Plain Dealer

Greg Bird's blast in the seventh inning off the usually unhittable Andrew Miller provided the only run of the game and allowed the New York Yankees to survive in the ALDS with a 1-0 game three win.
Miller was the losing pitcher and the loss wasted five and two-thirds shutout innings from starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco.
Game four is tonight in New York with the Indians returning game one starter Trevor Bauer to the hill with the Yankees countering with Luis Severino, who pitched less than an inning in his wild card start vs Minnesota.

Smoke Signals

1) Why not a picture of the only run scored of the game?
I wasn't able to find one of Greg Bird swinging!
Consider the odds of the most terrifying lefthanded pitcher in the game against a lefty swinger and then hitting a homer?
Long odds!
That said, Miller put a ball over the plate that was perfect to pull and Bird was able to thump it into the second deck.
Unlikely, but much of the game is taking advantage of another's mistake...

2) Cleveland almost won the game and series in the sixth inning when Francisco Lindor hit a ball that seemed destined to leave the park and lift the Indians to a 2-0 lead.
It did leave the park, but the problem was that the one player tall enough to pull that in was playing right field in 6'7 Aaron Judge, who made a great play keeping the ball in the stadium and saving the lead, game, and series all with one play.
If Cleveland loses this series, remember that play.

3) Cannot complain about Carlos Carrasco, who missed last years playoff run due to injury.
Carrasco struck out seven and allowed just three hits in five and two-thirds innings before loading the bases in the sixth and leaving the game.
Carrasco pitched very well and gave signs that should the Indians move on in the playoffs, Carrasco might be the bully of the rotation.

4) Andrew Miller did take allow the homer and take the loss, but remember that it was Miller that got the Indians to that point with his sixth inning pop-up against Starlin Castro with the bases loaded.
Miller isn't going to lose often, but anyone can be beaten on one pitch.

5) Masahiro Tanaka was downright nasty in his seven innings with a split finger fastball that was on the money.
Tanaka was only really threatened by Lindor's shot to right field and gave an effort that exceeded that of Carlos Carrasco as he made it through seven.

6) Onto game four and Trevor Bauer on short rest.
The Indians feel Bauer on short rest is better than Corey Kluber on short rest and the statistics bear that out, but I do wonder why the Tribe didn't consider one of the three starters that are playoff relievers in Josh Tomlin, Danny Salazar or Mike Clevenger.
The bright side to the Bauer decision is that if he gets knocked out early, the Indians have three guys capable of picking up the slack for multiple innings.

I'm going to be back later with the Devils Columbus Day matinee in Buffalo and later-game four!