MLB playoffs: Three takeaways from Yankees' series-clinching win over Indians

The Yankees defeated the Indians 5-2 Wednesday in Cleveland to win the second AL Division Series in five games.

Brett Gardner iced New York's 3-2 lead in the ninth inning by plating two runs with a single on his 12th pitch of an at-bat against closer Cody Allen. The Indians had two errors in the ninth inning (three for the game), and they paid for their sloppy play by exiting the postseason.

New York lost the series' first two games, but fought back to win three straight against the defending AL champs, who will will enter the 2018 season with a 70-year championship drought. With the loss, the Indians became the first 100-win team to blow a two-game lead in a divisional series since the 2001 Athletics (also to Yankees).

Here are three takeaways from Game 5:

1. CC Sabathia turned back the clock — Sabathia spun some of his 2007 Cy Young Award-winning form while becoming the first pitcher in postseason history with nine-plus strikeouts in fewer than five innings pitched.

Sabathia earned the start in the city that drafted him, and he struck out nine batters with two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Sabathia had all his off-speed pitches working through four innings, but he was pulled in the fifth after allowing two runs. Still, Sabathia proved to be a useful starting option moving forward this postseason.

1. Corey Kluber may win AL Cy Young, but he picked the wrong time to lose command — Kluber allowed just four earned runs with 50 strikeouts in 43 innings in September, but the AL Cy Young award front-runner allowed nine earned runs in just 6 1/3 innings this postseason. Kluber was touched up early in both of his starts this series, and Cleveland suffered.

The Yankees hit two home runs off Kluber's curveball this series, when he had allowed just two home runs off that pitch during the regular season.

1. Gregorius on the rise, but Yankees need more out of Judge — Didi Gregorius bashed two early home runs off Kluber. He also hit a home run in the AL wild-card win over the Twins. The clutch infielder, who entered the day 1 for 13 in this series, also hit a single to finish the game 3 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.

While Gregorius' production was inspiring for Yankees fans, Judge's woeful stretch must have everyone in New York worried. Judge showed a propensity to rack up strikeouts during the regular season, and he set a postseason record by collecting 16 strikeouts this series. He went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts Wednesday.