Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor celebrates after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game five American League Championship Series baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, October 19, 2016.Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press
The Cleveland Indians are heading back to the World Series for the first time since 1997 after knocking off the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.
They will be host of the opening game of the World Series for the first time in franchise history next week at Progressive Field, with their opponent still to be determined by the outcome of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.
"I can't wait to see what it's like in Cleveland," said Andrew Miller, Cleveland's dominant left-handed reliever who won the ALCS MVP award. "I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Obviously they got a taste of the basketball championship. The crowds for playoff games at home have been special. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they react."
The Indians have made it to the Fall Classic five times since 1920, but have won only twice, and not since 1948, making their winless streak the second-longest in baseball next to the Cubs, whose last World Series victory was in 1908.
Playing for a championship is another highlight for what was once considered a tortured sports city. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016, ending a city-wide major pro sports title drought that lasted 52 years.
On Wednesday, Cleveland rode the unlikely hot hand of lefty Ryan Merritt in the early goings. A rookie with only 11 innings of major-league experience, Merritt was masterful over his 4 1/3 innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen, which is among the best in baseball. The trio of Bryan Shaw-Miller-Cody Allen was particularly important to Cleveland's success, limiting a dangerous Blue Jays lineup to two runs over a combined 15 2/3 innings.
Cleveland's shot at the Series comes after a strong regular season in which it had the second-best record in the AL, a sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Division series, and a five-game win over the Blue Jays.
"I'm really honoured that we're going to the World Series," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "We always said if we could do it with this group, it would be so special because this is as close to a family feel as you can get in a professional setting."
About two dozen Cleveland fans stayed behind after the final out Wednesday, lingering in the stands, hamming it up for the TV cameras and cheering on their team as muted Jays supporters filed out of the building for the last time this season.
Jamie Ross