The Ace threw aces.  The Natural knocked one out.  The Southpaw sizzled.  And the closer conquered.  Cory Kluber, Francisco Lindor, Andrew Miller, and  Cody Allen all stepped up with big performances to secure game 1 for the Cleveland Indians.

Winning game 1 was, in the words of Donald Trump, HUUUUUGE.  Rarely is a game 1 considered a must win for a team, but this opener was pretty darn close to that for the hometown boys.  With their starting rotation a bit fragile due to injuries to Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar–not to mention Trevor Bauer and is drone difficulties–it was imperative that Cleveland cash in their ace’s performance for a W.

If the Tribe had lost that game, they would be faced with a must-win situation to avoid going across the Canadian border down 0-2.  And while Josh Tomlin has pitched well in the last month, he is not a guy you want to have to put your full trust into.

By winning game 1, the Tribe avoided having to wear that heavy pressure.  Heavy pressure can elevate the performances of athletes in many sports.   Baseball, however, has been aptly described as a game of failure.   The best hitters fail 70% of the time.  More often than not, heavy pressure increases that failure rate.

That game 1 win also knocked the Blue Jays down a few notches.  After winning their first four playoff games, Toronto reeked of confidence and swagger like a group of teenage boys reek of Axe Body Spray.   Their powerful offense definitely can be intimidating.  The shutout performance of Kluber, Miller, and Allen brought the Jays back to earth and reminded them that playoff baseball is NOT EASY.

Game 1 is in our back pocket.  This young Indians club definitely feeds of the energy of the hometown crowd, so Cleveland fans, let’s keep it Progressive Field rocking in game 2.

No need to save any cheers for the Sunday football.

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