Ringo bracket: 2017 Indians defeat 2017 Royals in six games

Game 1: Indians 4, Royals 0
WP: Kluber (2-0)
LP: Vargas (2-1)
HR: Kipnis (1), Ramirez (1)

Game 2: Royals 2, Indians 1
WP: Soria (1-0)
LP: Allen (0-1)
Save: Herrera (2)
HR: Merrifield (1), Chisenhall (1)

Game 3: Indians 7, Royals 1
WP: Bauer (2-0)
LP: Kennedy (1-1)
Save: Otero (1)

Game 4: Royals 5, Indians 2
WP: Soria (2-0)
LP: Miller (1-1)
Save: Herrera (3)
HR: Perez (2)

Game 5: Indians 6, Royals 4 (11 innings)
WP: Allen (1-1)
LP: Moylan (0-1)
Save: Goody (1)
HR: Cain (2), Encarncion (3), Hosmer (1)

Game 6: Indians 6, Royals 5 (12 innings)
WP: Allen (2-1)
LP: Cahill (0-1)
HR: Hosmer (2), Me. Cabrera (3)

The Tribe survived some wobbly work by its late-inning bullpen.

Game One, in Cleveland's Progressive Field, went according to form: Corey Kluber threw seven innings of two-hit ball, walking none and fanning seven, with Bryan Shaw and Andrew Miller contributiing one inning apiece to the shutout. Jason Kipnis hit a two-run homer in the first off Jason Vargas, and Jose Ramirez hit a solo homer in the third.

The Royals evened the series as five pitchers held Cleveland to one run on eight hits. Kansas City broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth when Salvadore Perez doubled off Cody Allen with two outs and Melky Cabrera followed with an RBI single.

The series moved to Kansas City and Kaufmann Stadium, where Trevor Bauer allowed one run in six innings and Dan Otero worked the final three innings for a long save. Cleveland blew the game open with a five-run seventh off four Kansas City pitchers, with consecutive RBI doubles by bottom-of-the-order bats Yan Gomes and Bradley Zimmer. Otero allowed two singles but induced a pair of double plays.

Kansas City evened the series again, with Perez shattering a 2-2 deadlock with a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth off Miller. Whit Merrifield singled in the other two Kansas City runs.

Lonnie Chisenhall and Edwin Encarncion each had three RBIs in Game Five as the Tribe won in 11 innings. Chisenhall doubled in the go-head runs in the top off the 11th off Scott Alexander and had a sac fly in the fourth; Encarncion hit a three-run homer off Vargas in the first. The game went into extra innings because Miller allowed an inherited runner and one of his own to score in the eighth and Allen surrendered a leadoff homer to Lorenzo Cain in the ninth. Kluber was charged with two runs in seven innings on three hits.

The series moved back to Cleveland, and the Indians prevailed in 12 innings to wrap up the series, After Carlos Carrasco allowed four runs in six innings, Mike Clevinger relieved with five innings in which he allowed one run on three hits. Ramirez tied the game with a two-out homer in the ninth off Kelvin Herrera, and Gomes singled home Encarncion in the 12th with the walk-off winner.

Player of the Series: Corey Kluber

Pitcher availability: Clevinger cannot pitch until Game Three.

Projected rotation: Kluber-Bauer-Carrasco-Clevinger or Salazar-(Kluber)-(Bauer)-(Carrasco)