Starting pitchers tonight were lefthander Jon Lester (Chicago) and righthander Trevor Bauer (Cleveland), who both started earlier in this World Series.
The 32-year old Lester also started Game 1 and then was the losing pitcher, giving up six hits in 5 2/3 inning, while striking out seven batters.
In 2007, Lester pitched for Boston Red Sox, which then faced a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS against the Indians, but won the next three games.
The 25-year old Bauer was the starting pitcher in Game 2, meaning he pitched on short days rest today.
Like Lester, Bauer also was the losing pitcher in his first start, giving up six hits in 3 2/3 inning, striking out two batters.
Before tonight's game, the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by former Cubs-great Ryne Sandberg, who played in ten All Star Games and was the National League Most Valuable Player in 1984.
Both starting pitchers had a very strong first inning and both retired the side.
Chicago-starter Jon Lester struckout three batters, while Cleveland-starter Trevor Bauer struckout two of the three batters he faced.
The second inning went something different, as Cleveland opened te score.
...Tonight, the Cubs celebrated their first World Series-win...
...in Wrigley Field since October 8, 1945...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
For the Indians, the first two batters popped out, but the second one was special.
Carlos Santana popped the ball up into foul territory.
Catcher David Ross went after it, appeared to catch the ball, but it jumped up from his glove and then ended up in the glove of first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who also had chased the foul ball.
With that, Ross was credited with an assist.
With two outs, no one could catch the next batted ball, as José Ramirez drilled it over the leftfield-wall for a homerun to put Cleveland ahead.
Bauer also gave up his first basehit in the bottom of the second inning.
With one out, Addison Russell singled, but hereafter, Bauer struckout Jason Heyward and Javier Baez.
Jon Lester retired the side again in the third and fourth inning.
Moments later, the Cubs came alongside in the bottom of the fourth inning and did more, as the team came to a 3-run rally.
First, Kris Bryant led off with a homerun that made it an 1-1 score.
Hereafter, Anthony Rizzo doubled and Ben Zobrist followed with a single to put runners at the corners.
Chicago then took a 2-1 lead when Rizzo scored on an infield-hit by Addison Russell.
With one out, the bases then got loaded when Javier Baez reached on a bunt-single.
Before this at bat, Baez was 1-for-14 with runners on base.
Another run was added when David Ross folllowed with a sacrifice fly.
Bauer then closed the inning by striking out Jon Lester, but the Cubs were leading 3-1.
Chicago was successful offensively during the National League Division Series and Championship Series, but the team cooled down during the World Series.
It almost didn't produce with runners in scoring position and was unable to move the runners.
But in the bottom of the fourth, the Cubs showed that they can hit.
After having scored only two runs in 25 innings, they now scored three in one inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Cleveland appeared to come back immediately, as Carlos Santana led off with a double and advanced on a grounder.
But he then stayed behind, as Lester eliminated the next two batters.
The Cubs also got a runner on third base in its fifth at bat off of new pitcher Mike Clevinger.
With one out, he walked Kris Bryant.
With two outs, Bryant stole second base and advanced on a throwing error, then next batter Ben Zobrist walked.
But the two runners were left behind when Addison Russell lined out to rightfield.
When he stole second base, Bryant became only the third 24-year old player in World Series-history to hit a homerun and steal a base in the same game.
The others?
Legendary Mickey Mantle and hitting great José Canseco.
Cleveland narrowed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning.
With one out, Rajai Davis singled and stole second base.
He then scored on a 2-out single by Francisco Lindor.
But the inning ended when Lindor was caught stealing.
...Tonight, the Cubs-supporters were able to sing...
...'Go, Cubs, Go' again, celebrating the Win...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
Chicago's Manager Joe Maddon went to the bullpen in the top of the seventh inning.
He replaced his starter Jon Lester with Carl Edwards, Jr., but he was greeted with a single by Mike Napoli on his third delivery.
Moments later, Napoli advanced on a passed ball.
After next batter Carlos Santana flied out, Maddon brought in his hardthrowing closer Aroldis Chapman.
The Cuban struckout his first batter, but then hit Brandon Guyer with a pitch.
Cleveland stranded runners on first and second base when a grounder ended the at bat.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, closer Cody Allen entered the game for Cleveland.
He took over from reliever Bryan Shaw, who had struckout the side in the previous inning.
With his first pitch, Allen hit Dexter Fowler on his foot.
Shortly hereafter, Fowler stole second base, then Allen struckout Kris Bryant.
To set up a force play, Anthony Rizzo was walked intentionally hereafter.
Chicago then left two runners when a pop-up ended the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Cleveland got into scoring position again off of Chapman.
With one out Rajai Davis reached on an infield-hit, but could have been out.
He hit a hard grounder towards first base where Anthony Rizzo made a nice stop and wanted to toss the ball to the base.
However, Chapman had failed to come off the mound to take over the base and so, Davis reached on an infield-hit.
Moments later, Davis stole second base, but then Jason Kipnis fouled out.
Davis then also stole third base and with that, Chapman not taking over first base could have been very costly.
Hereafter, the Cuban got himself out of trouble by striking out Francisco Lindor.
In the bottom of the eighth, with one out, Jason Heyward singled and stole second base.
Hereafter, Cody Allen struckout Javier Baez, who struckout three times tonight to increase his total to nine in the Series.
Heyward then also stole third base, but Chicago failed to add an insurance run, as Allen closed the inning by striking out Aroldis Chapman.
In the top of the ninth, Chapman retired the side and ended with a strikeout!
With that, Chicago ended its home season with a victory!
It's first home victory in a World Series since 1945!
Time for the enthousiastic spectators to sing 'Go, Cubs, Go' and celebrate another 'W'.
And the Series returns to Cleveland.
|
Chicago nips Cleveland to force sixth game in World Series
CHICAGO, Illinois (USA) -
Chicago Cubs nipped Cleveland Indians 3-2 in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday-evening (October 30) to force a sixth game in the best-of-seven.
The Series now moves back to Cleveland, where Game 6 will be played on Tuesday.
On Tuesday-evening, Cleveland shutout Chicago 6-0 in the opener.
The Cleveland-pitching dominated tonight, led by starter Corey Kluber, who set a record by striking out eight batters in the first three innings.
Cleveland collected ten basehits, including two homeruns by catcher Roberto Perez, who batted in four runs.