World Series Game 2: Cubs (103-58-1, 7-4) vs. Indians (94-67, 8-1)
- Game Time – 6:08pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FOX – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 183, 844(Cubs), 89, 853(Indians)
- Location – Progressive Field, Cleveland
Jake Arrieta, RHP (18-8, 3.10/1.08/3.52) vs. Trevor Bauer, RHP (12-8, 4.26/1.31/3.99)
The World Series – Game 2
Indians Lead the Best-of-Seven Series 1-0
Weather permitting … The Cubs look to even the World Series tonight at 1-1 behind Jake Arrieta.
Major League Baseball moved up the start time for tonight’s game from 7:08pm CDT to 6:08pm CDT. MLB thinks that by moving the game up an hour that the Cubs and Indians will be able to play the entire game without any delays. Postseason games must be played to full completion. MLB changed the rule in 2008 that required all postseason games to played in full after the rain issues in Philadelphia during the Phillies-Rays series.
The Cubs must make Trevor Bauer work and put runs on the board early before Terry Francona has a chance to go to his pen. Bauer said he is ready to go after leaving his last start against the Blue Jays in the ALCS with a bloody pinkie.
Joe Maddon had not decided, as of Tuesday, whether Miguel Montero or Willson Contreras would catch Arrieta tonight. Trevor Bauer’s splits should allow Maddon to not only start Contreras behind the plate but also play Jorge Soler in the outfield. Bauer has a .723 OPS against right-handers (.257/.333/.399) and he likes throwing high fastballs which would benefit Soler. Lefties have hit .239/.305/.385 against Bauer with a .690 OPS.
An early run and a crooked number or two will go a long way to the Cubs evening the series.
Tonight it all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta is coming off a not-so-good outing against the Dodgers. But he did not pitch as poorly the final line indicates. Arrieta gave up four runs on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts in five-plus innings in a 6-0 loss in Los Angeles in Game 3 of the NLCS.
Arrieta had good stuff early in the game. A two-run homer on a good pitch accounted for two of the three runs early in the game. A solo homer by Justin Turner leading off the sixth gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead and chaced Arrieta from the game.
Arrieta is 0-1 in his last two starts (Cubs, 0-2) with a 4.91 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.
Jake Arrieta has not had what would be labeled a good start in more than a month. Arrieta pitched seven innings of shutout ball against the Cardinals at Wrigley on Sept. 23. The Cubs need Arrieta to step-up tonight and pitch like first-half Jake, not the one that has struggled for the most part of the last two months.
Jake Arrieta is 1-1 in four career starts against the Indians with an 8.69 ERA and 1.93 WHIP. Arrieta lost to the Indians at Wrigley on June 16, 2015 in Kyle Schwarber’s big league debut. Arrieta allowed four runs on three hits with six walks and six strikeouts in five innings.
Arrieta is 1-0 in one career start at Progressive Field with a 7.50 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
Indians Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Rajai Davis: 3-for-10
- Mike Napoli: 2-for-8 with one home run and two walks
- Coco Crisp: 1-for-8 with one double
- Jason Kipnis: 2-for-5 with one walk
- Carlos Santana: 1-for-3 with one home run and three walks
- Lonnie Chisenhall: 1-for-4
- Yan Gomes: 0-for-3
- Francisco Lindor: 1-for-3
- Chris Gimenez: 0-for-1
The Cubs have to deal with the incredibly talented Trevor Bauer tonight. When Bauer is on he has the stuff to be just about as good as any pitcher in the league. Bauer has not pitched to his ability for a majority of the year and the Cubs must make sure he does not have a career game tonight.
Due to an accident with a drone that required 10 stitches in his right pinkie finger, Bauer has not pitched more than two-thirds of an inning since Oct. 6. Bauer lasted just four batters into his start against the Blue Jays nine days ago before he was forced to leave the game after blood dripped from his hand on the mound.
Bauer completed a 20-pitch simulated game Monday and the Indians feel he is ready to go for Game 2.
For as much as Bauer has struggled on the mound the Indians are 4-0 in his last four starts. Bauer has a 6.92 ERA in his last seven starts since Sept. 8. Bauer was 5-5 in 15 second half starts with a 5.36 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. And he was 6-4 in 16 games, 12 starts, at home this season with a 3.67 ERA and 1.32 WHIP.
Trevor Bauer makes his second career start against the Cubs tonight. Bauer dominated the Cubs last (June 2015) at Wrigley after Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler and Javier Baez embarrassed him during a Spring Training game in March. Bauer did not allow any runs for seven innings while surrendering just four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts on June 16, 2015 in a 6-0 Indians win.
Cubs Career Numbers against Trevor Bauer
- Dexter Fowler: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Jason Heyward: 0-for-6
- Miguel Montero: 1-for-6
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-3
- Chris Coghlan: 0-for-3
- Anthony Rizzo: 0-for-2 with one walk
- Addison Russell: 2-for-3
- Ben Zobrist: 0-for-1 with two walks
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …
