Blue Jays and Indians Win Openers of American League Division Series

The American League Wild Card winning Toronto Blue Jays faced Texas Rangers ace Cole Hamels (15-5, 3.32 ERA during the regular season) in Game 1 of one of the American League Division Series October 6th.. In the other Division Series, the Cleveland Indians were up against Boston Red Sox righthander Rick Porcello, who was 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA. Advantage to the teams whose top pitchers were starting right?

Not this time. Hamels was torched for seven runs, six earned, in just 3 1/3 innings as the Blue Jays pummeled the Rangers 10-1. Jays starter Marco Estrada was the pitching star of this game allowing four hits and one run in 8 1/3 innings. Josh Donaldson had four hits, Jose Bautista drove in four runs, and Troy Tulowitzki drove in three for the Jays. In Boston, Porcello allowed three home runs, and five runs total, in 4 1/3 innings as the Red Sox lost to Cleveland 5-4.

The Division Series are best of five, so while it’s not necessarily fatal, losing Game 1 at home isn’t the way you want to start it out.