Tribe faces elimination after Bieber stumbles

CLEVELAND — The matchup of Shane Bieber and Gerrit Cole was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2020 season. But what was expected to be a pitcher’s duel ended in just two pitches, as Bieber put the Indians in an early two-run deficit after giving up just

CLEVELAND — The matchup of Shane Bieber and Gerrit Cole was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2020 season. But what was expected to be a pitcher’s duel ended in just two pitches, as Bieber put the Indians in an early two-run deficit after giving up just one first-inning run all season.

Bieber couldn’t prevent the snowball effect.

• AL Wild Card Series presented by Hankook Tire, Game 2: Wed., 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

In his postseason debut, Bieber matched his career high by allowing seven earned runs on nine hits, including two homers, in 4 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Cole held the Indians to two runs with 13 strikeouts in seven frames as the Yankees rolled to a 12-3 victory in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday at Progressive Field. The loss matched the Tribe’s third-largest postseason defeat by run differential in franchise history.

• Box score

Since earned runs became an official stat in 1913, only Hal Newhouser (1945), Clayton Kershaw (2013, ‘14) and Bieber have given up at least seven runs in a postseason start after owning a sub-2.00 ERA during the regular season, according to STATS.