field stayed up long enough for Coco Crisp to make a sliding cat

TORONTO -- Before the Cleveland Indians could even consider giving the ball to Andrew Miller, their bullpen faced a daunting task in the very first inning.After Trevor Bauers bloody exit , these remarkable relievers had to stitch together almost an entire game against the Toronto Blue Jays.Four outs apiece for Dan Otero and Jeff Manship. Three for Zach McAllister. Five each for winner Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen.After all that, Cleveland finally turned to Miller, who was overpowering again in closing out a 4-2 victory that moved the Indians within one win of their first pennant since 1997.If anybody has a hiccup, we probably lose, manager Terry Francona said Monday night after his team took a 3-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. They all made pitches against some really good hitters.Jason Kipnis and Mike Napoli homered for the Indians, unbeaten in six playoff games this year. They can complete their second consecutive series sweep on Tuesday.In the bullpens most impressive feat yet this October, six relievers combined for 25 outs and 128 pitches while limiting Toronto to two runs and seven hits. Miller got four outs for the save.The bullpen was unbelievable, Bauer said. Co-MVP to everybody.Indians ace Corey Kluber is scheduled to start Game 4 on short rest after Bauers drone-related finger injury created more upheaval in a rotation thats been short-handed all postseason. Bauer faced four batters before getting pulled when his stitched-up right pinkie began dripping blood.Enter those stingy relievers, who pitched the Indians to a Division Series sweep over Boston and have them on the verge of another. Cleveland is one win from its sixth World Series appearance.The hard-hitting Blue Jays have mustered only three runs in the series and have never led.We felt like we had an opportunity with some of their lower-leverage guys coming out of the bullpen, but theyve got good arms, Toronto outfielder Kevin Pillar said. It makes it tough when youre facing a different guy every inning, every at-bat.Kipnis led off the sixth with a home run to right-center field for a 3-2 edge, and Jose Ramirez added an RBI single. Suddenly, the Indians were just a few outs from being able to turn the game over to Allen and Miller.They appeared in that order, yet another instance in which Francona maneuvered his bullpen unencumbered by rigid roles.It was all hands on deck, Miller said.Allen, who usually closes, entered in the seventh with a runner on and nobody out. A two-out walk to Jose Bautista put the potential tying run on, but Josh Donaldsons liner to left field stayed up long enough for Coco Crisp to make a sliding catch .Miller fanned three of five batters, giving him 20 strikeouts in nine playoff innings this year. The lanky left-hander has allowed five hits over 17 1/3 scoreless innings in his postseason career.Tito did a masterful job running that bullpen today, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. They shut us down.Cleveland has won nine straight dating to the regular season.Napoli entered 2 for 18 this postseason and in an 0-for-25 slump against right-handers dating to the regular season. He opened the scoring with an RBI double off righty Marcus Stroman in the first -- Napolis long fly popped out of Bautistas glove before both the ball and Bautista bounced off the right-field wall.Bauer made it through only 21 pitches. Hed been pushed back two days to Game 3 after cutting his finger last week repairing one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby. He received 10 stitches and tried to pitch, but couldnt make it far without blood dripping from his hand.Trevor got a little leak, Kipnis said. A couple of us had seen the wound kind of inside and knew it was a possibility of happening. He can deal with the pain, but its getting something like that to close up. Its hard to do in a short amount of time.Its yet another injury problem for a Cleveland team that couldnt include ailing starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar on its ALCS roster.Even with the Indians up 3-0, their rotation for the rest of this series isnt a sure thing. Kluber is set to come back for Game 4 (and presumably a potential Game 7) on short rest, and lightly used rookie Ryan Merritt is lined up for Game 5.Michael Saunders homered early for Toronto. Ezequiel Carrera tripled leading off the fifth and scored on Ryan Goins grounder to tie it 2-all.Kipnis answered with a home run, his first hit of the series.Stroman took the loss after allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings.Weve still got one more to get there, and its going to be tough, Kipnis said. We know these guys. Just kind of like the Boston series -- we dont want to wait around for them to figure it out. We want to get to them now.BLOOD WORKFrancona was Curt Schillings manager with Boston during the famous bloody-sock game against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.TRAINERS ROOMFrancona said Salazar (forearm) was progressing well after throwing to hitters Sunday night.MILLER TIMEMiller has struck out 20 of 33 batters in these playoffs and 30 of 60 in his postseason career.EXTRA EFFORTCleveland relievers have pitched at least 7 1/3 innings five times since Aug. 18, with the Indians winning four of those games.UP NEXTKluber has never started on three days rest in his major league career, but Francona said before Mondays game that was the plan for Game 4 if Bauer had problems with his finger. Toronto will start AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez, who allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings against Texas in Game 3 of the ALDS. Nike Air Max Mens Shoes Sale .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Cheap Nike Air Max Mens . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. http://www.cheapairmaxshoesonline.com/ . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Nike Air Max Womens Shoes Sale . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Discount Nike Air Max Shoes . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. BATON ROUGE, La. -- Austin Howard passed for three touchdowns, Lenard Tillery ran for two more and Southern beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 49-17 on Saturday night.Howard completed 22 of 28 passes for 292 yards without an interception and Tillery had 135 yards rushing on 19 carries. It was Tillerys third consecutive 100-yard game and his fifth this season. Willie Quinn finished with six catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns for Southern (4-2, 4-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference).Tillery scored on two 6-yard runs, and John West added another, as the Jaguars built a 21-77 lead heading into the second quarter.ddddddddddddamie Gillan kicked a 25-yard field goal to pull AUPB (1-6, 1-4) within 24-10 at the break, but Howard sandwiched touchdown passes of 11 and 27 yards to Quinn around a 14-yard scoring strike to Dontrell Brown and Southern led 42-10 with 10:14 to play.Southern had 515 total yards and a season-high 33 first downs.Willie Young had eight receptions for 118 yards including a 62-yard touchdown. ' ' '