CHICAGO _ The fans here rode the emotional roller coaster together. At chilly Wrigley Field on Sunday night, with the Cubs facing elimination in the World Series, they roared at every break and fell eerily silent with every setback.
The Cubs have not won a championship since 1908. And with their reactions, those who gathered for Game 5 betrayed their frayed nerves, a condition developed over decades.
On the pitcher's mound, however, Cubs left-hander Jon Lester created his very own island. He shielded himself from the ups and downs, just as he's done so many times. By the end of his stint, Lester had done all he could to spare the Cubs from elimination, and their 3-2 win forced a Game 6 Tuesday night in Cleveland.
In his final start of the season, Lester allowed just two runs in six innings against the Indians. He struck out five and walked none, flashing the postseason pedigree that the Cubs hoped to import when they signed him to a six-year, $155-million deal before the 2015 season.
The Cubs' massive investment loomed large last night, when Lester revealed few nerves. His five World Series starts are tied with teammate John Lackey for the most among active pitchers. On the biggest stage, that experience came through.
"If you're down 3-1 and you're going in there saying you have to do this, you have to do that to try to stay alive, I think you've kind of already been beaten, you know?" Lester said on the eve of his start. "You're not worried about the right thing."
In Game 1, Lester allowed three runs while being outdueled by Indians ace Corey Kluber. But in Game 5, Lester was nowhere near as charitable. He lowered his ERA this postseason to 1.93.
After striking out the side in the first, Lester allowed a second-inning solo shot to Jose Ramirez, putting the Cubs in a 1-0 hole.
In the sixth, with the Cubs ahead 3-1 thanks to a three-run rally in the fourth, Lester allowed Francisco Lindor's RBI single. He knocked in Rajai Davis, who singled and swiped second, taking advantage of Lester's fear of throwing to first base.
However, the Cubs' defense has been a strength all season, and it has benefitted Lester. They bailed him out again in the sixth, when Lindor was caught stealing second on a strong throw by catcher David Ross and slick tag by Javier Baez.
Before the game, manager Joe Maddon was asked about possibly benching Baez, who entered play just 2-for-17 with six strikeouts in the World Series. Said Maddon: "With Jon pitching, we do certain things defensively, and Javy needs to be on the field for that."
