Post-game
The “W” flag flies over Wrigley Field as the crowd, down and out just 24 hours ago, are suddenly revived thanks to a hard fought, tense victory in the ballpark’s last game of the season. Skipper Joe Maddon had the courage to go to his closer and ask him to complete an eight-out save, a strategy that worked to a tee.
Now the Cubs, still down 3-2 in this series, head to what will be a piping hot cauldron of fire, Cleveland’s Progressive Field, where Jake Arrieta will try and bridge the gap to a decisive Game 7 where Corey Kluber would face Kyle Hendricks.
This World Series, easily the most widely followed in many years, will continue to yield on Tuesday night for what should be another marquee night in the baseball history. The Guardian will be there for another live, inning-by-inning report. Until then, wherever you are, good morning, good afternoon and goodnight.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, Final
Ramirez waves at a fastball and the ball game is over! Cubs win and this World Series will continue on Tuesday night in Cleveland!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 9th
Another ball in the dirt makes it 3-1...then Santana pops to right - can of corn, Heyward puts it away.
Two down, and here’s Jose Ramirez, who gave Cleveland the lead way back in the second inning with a solo home run. he struck out against Chapman in the seventh.
It’s 0-2...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 9th
Chapman calls for time, then throws a ball riding low and in - it’s 2-1 to Santana...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 9th
Napoli bounces out to short - one down! Santana is next...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 9th
So here comes Chapman looking to cap off an old-school save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Cuban, whose Twitter handle is @AChapman_105 for a reason, started his career with the Reds, moved to the Yankees and is now looking to try and make history with these Cubs, having never pitched beyond the 2.1 inning mark. He’s already thrown 33 pitches as he faces Mike Napoli...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 8th
Chapman swings through an Allen fastball and we go to the ninth, with Chicago an inning away from sending everyone back to Cleveland!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 8th
Heyward steals third! It’s 2-2 on Chapman...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 8th
Baez is in the hole 0-2 but lays off a high fastball to stay alive.
Now Allen misses with a fastball to even the count.
Then Baez waves at a junk ball away. Two down for Chapman, who still looks scary as hell with a bat.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 8th
Heyward makes contact on more than one occasion and strikes a single to right field. Baez comes to the plate, with Chapman on deck, holding a bat and laughing hard with amusement.
Meanwhile, Heyward steals second! Kipnis had him but couldn’t hold on to the ball.
Cleveland pitching coach Calloway comes out for a chat with Allen...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 8th
The Cubs come to bat looking for that all-important insurance run.
Cody Allen strikes out Russell to start the home eighth. Here’s, Heyward, who is looking for that golden sombrero.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
Randazzo rings up Lindor on a fastball that looked low! Wrigley erupts and the Cubs are three outs away from boarding a puddle jumper to Cleveland!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
It’s 2-2 to Lindor - Wrigley crowd is going bananas - on their feet!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
Kipnis, a fly ball working towards foul ground - Zobrist is there to make the catch on the base of the bullpen mound - a tough play and a precious second out for Chicago.
Now Lindor steps in looking for his second RBI of the game...and Davis steals third!
So now Cleveland can tie it with a wild pitch or a balk (and a lot of other stuff)!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
The count is even after Kipnis chases two balls away - catcher Contreras comes out for a chat with his hurler...
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
Davis - a MASSIVE jump - steals second, and this game ratchets up another notch.
It’s 2-0 to Kipnis.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
Chapman battles back from a 3-0 count to work the count full. Davis - a liner down the right field line - Rizzo has it but where is Chapman? He didn’t cover the bag! Davis is fast so it may not have mattered but that is what they call ”bad optics”.
It also means the tying run is on with a stolen base threat at first. One down for Kipnis, who is 0-3 with two strikeouts tonight.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 8th
It’s not often that Brazilians face Cubans in baseball and that’s exactly what’s happening here.
Chalk one up for the Cubans - Gomes is toast on a slider. One down - here’s Davis.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Zobrist pops to short - Lindor puts it away. Threat over, inning over. Here comes Chapman looking for part two of what would be a three-part, eight out save.
He’s never pitched linger than 2.1 innings, which happened this July, against Cleveland, incidentally.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Bryant is caught looking - two down for Rizzo, who is being walked intentionally with two outs.
Tito wants to face Zobrist, 1 for 2 tonight, who breathes deeply from his mouth as he steps to the plate.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Fowler hangs in there at first base and now Allen faces Bryant with one down.
And there goers Fowler - it’s the old I’m hurt stolen base gag, and it works like a charm!
So the Cubs have that insurance run 180 feet away with one out - Bryant is down in the count 1-2...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Allen’s opening act hits Fowler in the foot - the Cubs center fielder is shaken up and being looked at by the trainer and Maddon.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Here comes Tito to get Shaw, who leaves the hill in favor of Cleveland’s closer Cody Allen. Yan Gomes replaces Roberto Perez behind the plate - it’s a double switch that means Cleveland will avoid leading off with the pitcher’s spot next inning.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 7th
Tito sticks with Shaw, who gets Contreras to bounce out to third. One away.
Seventh inning stretch!
Eddie Vedder surfaces to deliver Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and dedicates it to David Ross, who has finished his last game at Wrigley Field.
He seems to be sober, unlike this clip from our way back machine.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
Perez grounds out weakly to second base and the inning is over! Chapman’s got six more outs to extend this season into November!
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
Contreras manages to pick up a three-digit ball in the dirt, preventing the runners from advancing.
Now it’s 1-2 to Perez...
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
Guyer is grazed on the left thigh and walks to first, lucky to be alive. Roberto Perez is next, trying to get that tying run home for Cleveland.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
Aroldis Chapman, the big right handed hurler from Holguin, Cuba reaches the Wrigley Field mound, set to try and take his Cubs all the way to the tarmac and beyond.
He faces Jose Ramirez and promptly blows him away with a101MPH of pain.
Two down: here’s Guyer.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
Santana flies out out left - it’s not deep enough to advance Napoli.
With one down and a runner at second, here comes Aroldis Chapman, in the seventh, to try and shut down any and all Cleveland threats.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
The ball gets away from the catcher! Contreras can’t handle Edwards’ offering, and it’s a passed ball. Napoli to second and the tying run draws even closer.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
So instead of Lester, you get Carl Edwards Jr, who promptly allows a lead-off single to Mike Napoli.
Meanwhile, Aroldis Chapman starts his warm up throws in the Cubs bullpen, very early indeed.
There are no tomorrows for Chicago.
Santana at the plate for Cleveland.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 7th
So yeah, Lester is done after six innings and 90 pitches. The man did his job, here’s the line:
6IP 4H 2R 2ER 0BB 5SO 1HR
I leave Lester in, at least until another speedy runner reaches base. This is a bit much from Maddon.
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 6th
Baez also goes down on strikes and it’s Ross’ turn at the plate, except Cubs skipper Joe Maddon pinch hits for Lester’s personal catcher with Miguel Montero.
That means that Lester is almost definitely done for the night.
Montero strikes out, Shaw mows down all three hitters he faces and the inning is over.
Updated
Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 6th
Bryan Shaw replaces Clevinger - he’s yet to allow a run in this series and is one of the filthy triumvirate of Shaw, Miller and Allen out in the Tribe bullpen.
He starts by striking out Heyward, that’s three straight k’s for the right fielder, who’s well on his way to a golden sombrero.
Updated
CAUGHT STEALING! Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 6th
David Ross fires a strike to Baez at second and Lindor is OUT!
That is a huge play as the veteran backstop picks up his throwing challenged hurler (what an crazy thing to write) and the Cubs hang on to their slim lead in the sixth!
RUN! Indians 2 - 3 Cubs, top of the 6th
Lindor floats a fly ball that’s hanging, hanging and DOWN! Fowler traps the ball on the grass as Davis comes around to score and the Cubs’ lead is down to a single run!
Mike Napoli comes to the plate with Lindor at first, for now, with two down!
Updated
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 6th
Lester delivers - and I don’t know where that pitch missed. Randazzo says it’s away and, well, he’s the boss.
Count is even for Kipnis and he’s down looking! A fastball on the corner dismisses Cleveland’s second baseman.
It’s up to Francisco Lindor who bats as Davis taunts Lester on the bases...
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 6th
There goes Davis - Ross bobbles the ball and that’s a stolen base, finally.
Meanwhile, Kipnis is behind in the count 1-2.
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 6th
Cleveland’s Game 3 hero Coco Crisp grounds out to third for the first out, but Davis comes back with a base hit to left.
The Tribe haven’t tested Lester’s ability to hold runners yet, and so now might be a good time to run, run and run some more.
Kipnis at the plate now...
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 5th
Russell lines to right field but Guyer is there to end the threat. Inning over.
That’s a missed opportunity by Chicago - they’ve stranded five so far.
Updated
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 5th
Clevinger misses away and Addison Russell comes to bat with runners at the corners.
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 5th
Bryant is running and Perez airmails it into center field! Now Bryant is 90 feet from a fourth Cubs run!
Full count now to Zobrist...
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 5th
Trevor Bauer is done for the night - he was great, until the fourth inning.
Here’s his line:
4IP 6H 3R 3ER 0BB 7K 1HR
Now Mike Clevinger is on for Cleveland - he pitched a scoreless inning during garbage time during Game 2.
He gets Fowler to pop up to left before walking Bryant. Then Rizzo flies out to center field - Davis puts it away.
So now there’s two out and one on for Zobrist.
Did Kris Bryant wake up Cubs bats with this fourth inning blast?
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 5th
Lester muscles out of trouble in the fifth! Perez grounds out and the Cubs survive a lead-off double!
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 5th
Lester looks angry, but he usually does. Now he’s huffing and puffing after being denied two close pitches on the outside portion of the plate by home plate umpire Tony Randazzo.
The count is full - Guyer wastes two pitches as Lester approaches 70 pitches on the night.
A stoic Vince Vaughn watches as Guyer fouls yet another pitch off. Who wins this war? Lester! Guyer watches strike three - a pitch that looked a whole lot like the other two Randazzo called balls.
Two down now and here comes Roberto Perez, with Coco Crisp ready to pinch hit if the catcher can reach base.
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 5th
Lester, pitching from the stretch, entices a ground ball to short - Russell has to hurry his throw but it’s in time thanks to another great pick atfirst base by Rizzo. Santana advances over to third base on the play, and Brandon Guyer steps to the plate with one down.
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, top of the 5th
Santana - into the gap in right - he’s got a double to get Cleveland going in the fifth! Now Ramirez, who homered in the second, comes to bat for the Indians.
Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Lester is down on strikes.
It takes 29 pitches for Bauer to get three outs, but not before Chicago hang a crooked number in the fourth, rattling graves all over Chicago.
RUN! Indians 1 - 3 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Ross does the job - he skies to left, deep enough for Zobrist to tag up and come home - Chicago add to their lead. Can the pitcher Lester somehow find a way to add to it?
Indians 1 - 2 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Baez drops a bunt - it’s perfection! Ramirez bobbles it and puts it in his pocket! The bases are stuffed with Cubs and here is Ross!
Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway comes out to tell Bauer that Ross is old and slow before play resumes. First pitch is fouled off, 0-1 to grandpa.
Indians 1 - 2 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Breaking ball - Heyward checks his swing - did he go? Yes he did! That’s a big out with the struggling Baez coming up with Ross and Lester to follow.
Updated
RUN! Indians 1 - 2 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Russell lays down a bunt - foul. He blows the safety squeeze and now he’s down in the count.
Little roller down to third - Ramirez has one play - to first and he’s SAFE!
Rizzo scores, Cubs take the lead and Chicago have the lead and are finally making things happen!
First and second, no outs and here comes Heyward...
Updated
Indians 1 - 1 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
Bauer is rattled...he’s down 3-0 in the count before allowing a line-drive base hit to Zobrist! Rizzo holds at third, and it’s runners at the corners with nobody out for Addison Russell.
Can the embattled bottom of the Cubs lineup join in on the fun?
HOME RUN Indians 1 - 1 Cubs, bottom of the 4th
In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened! Kris Bryant jolts the Cubs ailing offense and we are tied!
Then Rizzo belts one off the ivy in right field, and the Cubbies are alive here in the fourth!
Here comes Zobrist with the lead run at second base!
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 4th
Napoli pops to the right side in foul ground - Rizzo and Ross lightly collide, and because they’re not airplanes, everything is fine. Ross makes the catch - inning over.
Can Cubs hitters get out of their own way in the fourth? Stay tuned!
Updated
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 4th
Nothing like some fielding to take your mind off the complete and total freak out happening inside the minds of Cubs hitters - Ross pounces on a bunt and throws to first to retire Kipnis - he fails at trying to expose Lester’s throwing issues by not getting his bunt up to the pitcher.
Now Francisco Lindor pops to left and Zobrist puts it away. That leaves it for Mike Napoli, the bearded former Bostonite, who bats with two down and no one on.
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 3rd
Grandpa Ross grounds out to short, then Lester becomes strikeout victim no5
Now Fowler brings up the top of the order. Will the Cubs fare any better their second time around?
Not yet at least - Fowler pops to right and the lifeless Cubs lineup limps into the fourth inning.
Yogi says “Hey, it gets late early around here.”
@LengelDavid @guardian Great to see you back in the hot seat AND rooting for @Cubs tonight (albeit only because you predicted @Indians in 7)
— Steven Crane (@StevenCraneUK) October 31, 2016
Solid point...I’d hate to be off by two games.
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 3rd
Bauer, the pitcher, down 0-2, somehow works the count back to 2-2 and narrowly misses a double down the right field line. Gulp.
Now Heyward makes a ridiculous catch in foul ground after completely and totally mistiming his jump. Still, he gets the credit, Bauer applauds his opponent (a violation of unwritten rules, surely) and the inning continues with the lead-off man Davis up - two down and nobody on.
Davis lines softly to second, easy for Baez and the Indians are done in the third.
Updated
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 3rd
Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez fouls out for the first out of this inning, and here comes Bauer, who has not handled a bat since ripping open his finger fixing a drone.
Geeky stats...
...and a snippet of Ramirez’ second inning jack.
Jose Ramirez HR. 102 exit, 28 launch, 386 ft pic.twitter.com/EaU8ifaYZ9
— Brandon Curry (@bdotcurry) October 31, 2016
Just in case you’re wondering, the Cleveland Indians have won 15 straight games when hitting a home run and are 9-0 in these playoffs when going deep...that fact courtesy of FOX TV here in the US.
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 2nd
Heyward stares at a Bauer fastball - ‘was that for me?’ he asks?
It’s up to Baez now.
Remember when the baseball world was gushing over the Cubs second baseman back in the NLCS and NLDS? He’s got a .235 OPS this series.
This time he swings at some junk in the dirt. Side retired.
Updated
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 2nd
Cubs fans, desperate for good news, are getting excited about routine fly balls: Zobrist lines out to right, Brandon Guyer takes a few steps to his left and making an easy catch. One down.
Addison Russell is next, part of this lineup that has been mostly lulled to sleep, the bottom portion specifically.
Here however he lines a single off a curveball that was low and away - and there’s just a little life here now for the Cubbies offense!
Having said that, here’s Jason Heyward...
Updated
Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 2nd
Stunned Cubs fans at Wrigley are left to celebrate a great pick by Bryant, who is diving to his right before firing over to first for the out. His throw is in the dirt but Rizzo has it and this inning is over.Cleveland hop out on front.
HOME RUN! Indians 1 - 0 Cubs, top of the 2nd
Jose Ramirez, with his frosted tipped hair and big bopping bat, whacks a ball to deep ball left field - that pea is pelted at least 10 rows deep and is WAY OUTTA HERE!
Cleveland strike first in Game 5!
Updated
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, top of the 2nd
Mike Napoli can’t get it out of the infield and Javier Baez has it over at second base for the first out of the inning.
Then Santana pops near the first base dugout - Ross has it, bobbles it - and here comes Rizzo, who bobbles it, but the makes a circus catch!
Two down!
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 1st
Rizzo makes contact alright - sending a Bauer offering onto Sheffield Avenue, but it’s way, WAY foul.
Then Rizzo pops out to Carlos Santana, who is back in left field tonight.
Inning over.
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 1st
Make that five - Kris Bryant buckles at a breaking ball and now he’s down on strikes.
Over 40,000 are on their feet, rooting for their first baseman Anthony Rizzo to make contact.
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, bottom of the 1st
Dexter Fowler leads off for Chicago against Bauer, who is best known for slicing up his finger while fixing his drone, as you usually do when you’re going to be pitching in the playoffs.
Fowler, seeking to set the table, instead becomes the fourth straight strikeout victim to start this game.
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, top of the 1st
Lindor has trouble with the curve and Lester has struck out the side on 13 pitchers: great start for the Cubbies, who are coming up.
Indians 0 - 0 Cubs, top of the 1st
Davis pops it high over to the right side, but Heyward is blocked by lolly-gagging bullpen personnel in Wrigley’s minuscule foul territory.
That means Rajai gets another shot at it, but he can’t take advantage, waving at a fastball away for the first out of this ballgame.
Now Jason Kipnis steps to the plate: he did some damage last night, hitting a three-run shot, the first, we’re told by FOX TV in the US, since Babe Ruth in 1932.
Kipnis is also down on strikes - a cutter that works itself away from the lefty. Two down. The crowd is up, and here comes Lindor.
Updated
First Pitch!
I wish I had access to red, white and blue bunting emoji to dress our coverage with, but alas, we’ll have to lobby for those live blogging accoutrements over the winter. Right now however, we have our first pitch!
Jon Lester, the Cubs’ strapping 6’4” lefty who helped Chicago win Game 2 in Cleveland, delivers a strike to the right handed Indians lead-off batter Rajai Davis.
And that means that as of 7:17 Chicago time, Game 5 is finally underway!
National Anthem
Wayne Messmer is belting it out right now: it sounds a little something like this...
Solid...not spectacular, but totally solid and acceptable. I’ll give him an 8/10.
Lineups
If you’re like me, and MLB At Bat alerts blows up your phone about 16,000 times a day, then you already have these lineups. On the off chance you don’t, here they are for your convenience.
Cleveland Indians
1. Rajai Davis , CF
2. Jason Kipnis , 2B
3. Francisco Lindor , SS
4. Mike Napoli , 1B
5. Carlos Santana , LF
6. Jose Ramirez , 3B
7. Brandon Guyer , RF
8. Roberto Perez , C
9. Trevor Bauer , RHP
Chicago Cubs
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Ben Zobrist, LF
5. Addison Russell, SS
6. Jason Heyward, RF
7. Javier Baez, 2B
8. David Ross, C
9. Jon Lester, LHP
Well, if the Cubs are going to start a three-game winning streak, overcome a 3-1 World Series deficit and win this thing - that hasn’t happened since the Kansas City Royals pulled the trick since 1985 - it will be with Ross and Heyward in the lineup. A few hits from anybody in pinstripes will be music to their fans ears - I believe Kris Bryant has more errors than knocks this series - YIKES!
Can they breakout tonight? We’re inching closer to first pitch: please stand by.
Weather
I wanted to be with you alone, to talk about the weather. I believe it’s a little cooler than previous nights but not that big a deal, getting into the high 40’s. I just really like embedding weather into live blogs.
Updated
Did you know that if the Indians win tonight, their visiting clubhouse will be way too small to host all, or any of the media, who would normally be watching the winners pour tipple after tipple all over themselves? That’s true - so there’s another room that is just a bit bigger that can fit a few privileged media regulars. MLB have made it clear that the media should play nice and share quotes and pool video footage so the world can enjoy this would-be celebration, one that would also take place outside on the field.
Did you also know that the Cubs management, during recent renovations, had the cheek to build a party room for the home team inside Wrigley Field’s sparkling new underbelly?
Raise your hand if you think that was a bad idea.
Then raise your hand if you think this move by a local restaurant was also a bad idea.
Tonight. pic.twitter.com/3OboAyqxBJ
— Jobu (@Jobu_Lives) October 28, 2016
And finally...here’s the latest fate-tempting move coming out of Wrigleyville, one which took place a little earlier this evening.
This guy brought a goat outside Wrigley field....@Cubs #WorldSeries #game5 pic.twitter.com/GMslbzUDxF
— Priscilla Farina (@PrissillaFarina) October 30, 2016
Gulp...
Updated
Hello everybody and welcome to what could be a very big night for the Chicago Cubs Cleveland Indians, who can capture their first title since 1948 with a historic win in the Windy City.
It was just a few days ago that Eddie Vedder, team, city and diaspora were all celebrating like the Cubs had ended their drought. And actually, to be fair, they had ended one of them by making the World Series for the first time since 1945.
As it turns out, this Fall Classic, picked by almost everybody (but not yours truly - toot toot) to become a coronation of the Cubs, has taken a dramatically different shape.
If Cleveland wrap it up tonight, that will mean they would have walked into Nuveen Stadium and won all three games, that in a dream season where the Cubs have won over 60 games inside their celebrated, antiquated confines.
As it turns out, these Indians can play a little bit. As it turns out, shutting down the bopping Boston Red Sox and the tagging Toronto Blue Jays wasn’t actually a fluke at all, even with two of their best pitchers missing time.
Four games into this series, the Cubbies undisciplined lineup have posted an OPS that looks positively similar to that of the Indians early round opponents. Surely that’s no coincidence.
But hey, they’ve got Jon Lester pitching tonight, and if the Cubbies can make it all the way to the Plum City, they’ll have Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks on the hill. Also, Trevor Bauer, the Indians starter tonight, is going on short rest, and he’s no Corey Kluber. So yes, we’re saying there’s a chance.
One day at a time Cubs fans - first pitch is roughly 30 minutes away. Want to talk about it? Tweet your thoughts and feelings to @lengeldavid or email david.lengel.freelance@theguardian.com and I’ll make you famous.
Updated
David will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s how the Indians took Game 4:
If it weren’t for the Chicago Cubs and their history of legendary losing, we would all be cheering for the Cleveland Indians now. Any other opponent at any other place, and the Indians would be America’s darling underdog losers finally getting it together.
The Indians are lost in the Cubs’ shade, even though they beat Chicago at Wrigley Field again Saturday night in the World Series. This time, it was 7-2 and now the Indians, up three games to one, are just one victory away from winning the Series for the first time since 1948.
It is incredible that any one team could fail that consistently for that long, even if they haven’t failed nearly as long as the Cubs. And what’s happening now isn’t that the Cubs, who we have heard about all year long, are crumbling under the weight of history.
Click here for the full report:
