The World Series – Game 5 – Cubs 3, Indians 2
WP – Jon Lester (1-1) LP – Trevor Bauer (0-2) Save – Aroldis Chapman (1)
There will be a Game 6 of The World Series after the Cubs held off the Indians on Sunday night at the old ballyard. Kris Bryant homered in the fourth to tie the game. Addison Russell plated a run with an infield single and David Ross drove in a run with a sac fly. The Cubs scored all three runs in the fourth inning and relied on Jon Lester and Aroldis Chapman to send The Series back to Cleveland.
Jon Lester grinded through six innings and allowed just two runs. Aroldis Chapman took over for Carl Edwards Jr. with one out and the tying run on second in the seventh inning. Chapman picked up an eight-out save as the Cubs held on to take Game 5 of The World Series.
The Cubs offense did just enough Sunday to win Game 5. Trevor Bauer struck out five of the first nine batters he faced, four looking. The Cubs managed one hit through three innings.
Kris Bryant (1-for-3 with a home run and a walk) tied the game with a solo homer leading off the fourth inning. The Cubs took the lead on an Addison Russell (2-for-4 with a RBI) infield single that plated Anthony Rizzo (1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored). And David Ross (0-for-1 with a sac fly RBI) in his final game at Wrigley Field, delivered the third run with a sacrifice fly to left that allowed Ben Zobrist (1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) to score from third.
The Cubs scored three runs on seven hits with three walks and struck out 14 times. The Cubs were 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
The Cubs pitching and defense was the difference in Game 5 as the offense continued to struggle.
Jon Lester allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Lester made 90 pitches, 61 for strikes, in six innings.
Carl Edwards Jr. retired one of the two batters he faced in the seventh.
And Joe Maddon went old school with Aroldis Chapman. Maddon went to Chapman in the seventh with one out. Chapman recorded the longest outing of his career. Chapman picked up the eight-out save on 42 pitches, 26 for strikes, in 2 2/3 innings.
Anthony Rizzo, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and David Ross were very good in the field. The Cubs defense did not help the Indians and made the plays, for the most part, on Sunday night in what was the last game of the year at Wrigley Field.
Jon Lester retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced. Lester’s only blemish was a solo homer by Jose Ramirez with two down in the second inning.
The game went to bottom of the fourth with the Indians leading 1-0 … and the Cubs had just one hit the first time through the batting order.
Kris Bryant led off the fourth and launched a 1-1 pitch from Trevor Bauer. The ball sailed into the bleachers, Wrigley erupted and the game was tied at one.
Anthony Rizzo pulled Bauer’s first pitch to deep right. The ball came within inches of landing in the basket. Rizzo did not run out of the box right away and had to hustle to second with a double. Ben Zobrist ripped a 3-0 pitch into right. Rizzo was held at third. The ball was hit too hard for him to score.
Addison Russell made contact on a 1-2 pitch. Russell hit a slower roller toward third. Rizzo broke on contact and scored as Russell reached with an infield single. And the Cubs took a 2-1 lead. Javier Baez dropped a perfect bunt toward third on a 0-1 pitch. The Cubs loaded the bases with one out.
David Ross worked his at bat and lifted a 2-2 pitch to medium-depth left field. Zobrist tagged and scored and gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead. With runners on first and second with two outs, Jon Lester was caught looking at a 1-2 pitch to end the inning.
The Cubs led 3-1 after four innings.
Jon Lester worked around a leadoff double by Carlos Santana in the fifth. Lester retired Ramirez on a slow roller to short. Santana advanced to third base with one out. Lester caught Guyer looking and Perez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Mike Clevinger replaced Bauer for the fifth. Bryant walked with one out. After Rizzo flied out to center, Zobrist stepped in and took two out of the zone. Bryant took off for second and went to third when Perez’s throw ended up in center. Zobrist walked (3-2 pitch) to put runners on the corners with two out. Russell smoked a liner to right but right at Guyer to end the inning.
The Cubs had a 3-1 lead after five innings.
The Indians made it a one-run game in the sixth. Coco Crisp batted for Clevinger and grounded out to third. Rajai Davis singled to left. Davis swiped second with Kipnis at the plate (1-0 pitch). Ross dropped the ball in the exchange. Lester caught Kipnis looking at a 2-2 pitch for the second out.
Francisco Lindor singled to center on a 1-2 pitch. Fowler tried to make a diving catch, but trapped the ball. Davis scored, 3-2 Cubs. Ross threw out Lindor trying to steal second to end the inning.
Bryan Shaw struck out the side in order in the sixth, including Miguel Montero batting for David Ross to end the inning.
The Cubs took a 3-2 lead to the seventh and Joe Maddon went to his rookie catcher, Willson Contreras, and rookie reliever, Carl Edwards Jr.
Mike Napoli led off the seventh with a single to left. A passed ball allowed Napoli to move to second with no outs. Edwards Jr. retired Santana on a flyout to left. And Maddon went to his pen for Aroldis Chapman with one out in the seventh and the tying run on second base.
Chapman struck out Jose Ramirez swinging (2-2 pitch). Chapman grazed Guyer with his first pitch and put runners on first and second with two down. Chapman retired Perez on a grounder to Baez at second (1-2 pitch) to end the inning.
The Cubs were not able to tack on in the seventh, first against Shaw and then against Cody Allen. Contreras grounded out to short for the first out in the seventh. Francona went to the pen with one down for Cody Allen.
Allen plunked Fowler with his first pitch on the top of his foot. Fowler was in a lot of pain, but stayed in. Fowler actually stole second with Bryant at the plate. Bryant was caught looking at a 1-2 pitch for the second out. Allen intentionally walked Rizzo. With two on and two down, Zobrist popped a 3-1 pitch into left center. Lindor caught the ball to end the inning.
The top of the eighth had a lot more drama than was necessary. Chapman caught Yan Gomes looking (0-2 pitch) for the first out. Rajai Davis smoked a 3-2 pitch down the first baseline. Rizzo made a sensational diving stop. When he went to throw the ball to first, Chapman was not there. Chapman did not break for first base and the Indians got a free baserunner. Chapman paid a ton of attention to Davis. With Kipnis at the plate, Davis stole second. Kipnis fouled out to Zobrist (3-2 pitch) in foul territory on the bullpen mound for the second out. Davis stole third with Napoli at the plate. But Chapman caught Lindor looking at a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.
Jason Heyward singled to right center on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the eighth. Heyward stole second with Baez at the plate. Baez could not layoff Allen’s breaking ball and struck out swinging (2-2 pitch) for the second out. Maddon let Chapman hit for himself.
Heyward swiped third with Chapman at the plate but Chapman struck out to end the inning.
Game 5 went to the ninth with the Cubs clinging to a 3-2 lead.
Aroldis Chapman stayed in and retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.
With Sunday’s win, the Cubs trail 3-2 in The Series.
The Cubs forced a Game 6 on Tuesday night (7:08pm CDT) in Cleveland. Jake Arrieta gets the ball for the Cubs and will oppose Josh Tomlin.
