CLEVELAND -- It was an inning of frightening fly balls and frayed nerves and frantic fans. Oh, and there was even some bunting.
By the end of the third inning of Monday afternoon's Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field, the Indians had escaped with a 1-0 lead over the Astros on a Michael Brantley sacrifice fly -- just their second lead of this series. And given the heightened importance of every inning in this must-win ballgame, it was an emotion-packed one, to say the least.
It began with Mike Clevinger pitching himself into a jam.