World Series Game 6: Cubs (103-58-1, 9-6) vs. Indians (94-67, 10-3)
- Game Time – 7:08pm 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. Josh Tomlin, RHP (13-9, 4.40/1.19/4.88)
The World Series – Game 6
Indians lead Best-of-Seven Series, 3-2
The World Series resumes tonight in Cleveland. It’s Game 6 and for the Cubs it is simple … Win today.
Jake Arrieta gets the ball tonight and will oppose right-hander Josh Tomlin. The Indians are sticking with a three-man starting staff and Tomlin will pitch tonight on short-rest. The Cubs believe Terry Francona will go to his bullpen as early as needed in order to keep from exposing Tomlin. Francona may not leave him in long enough to face the Cubs for a second time, especially if the Indians have a lead.
Josh Tomlin did not pitch on short-rest this season. Tomlin started Game 3 at Wrigley on Friday and will be starting on three days rest for only the second time in his career. Tomlin allowed one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings to the Blue Jays on July 31, 2010.
The Cubs know the importance of grabbing an early lead and tacking on against the Indians’ bullpen.
The Cubs will have to layoff Tomlin’s curveball and make him get his off-speed stuff up in the zone. If the Cubs do not change their approach against Tomlin and the Indians’ bullpen and start laying off the curveballs out of the zone, it will be another frustrating night for the offense.
The Cubs and Indians will both have to deal with Joe West behind the plate tonight. The long-time, controversial, veteran umpire is the home plate umpire for Game 6. West is ranked as the fourth-least likely umpire to call a strike.
Jake Arrieta in two career starts with West behind the plate has a 2.08 ERA (nine strikeouts, four walks, 13 innings). Josh Tomlin has a 4.61 ERA in three games (seven strikeouts, four walks, 13 2/3 innings) with West as the home plate umpire.
Joe West is very capable of making tonight’s game about him. The Cubs, and specifically Jake Arrieta, cannot allow West to get under their skin.
Willson Contreras is catching Jake Arrieta tonight. And Kyle Schwarber will be back in the lineup as the Cubs’ DH. Joe Maddon will stick with defense. With Arrieta on the hill and lots of lefties in the Indians’ lineup, Javier Baez will be at second base and Jason Heyward will start in right field.
The weather will not be a factor for either team with temperatures reaching the high-70s in Cleveland on Tuesday dropping to low-60s at night.
One pitch. One inning. One game at a time. Win Tuesday.
Tonight all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta makes his second start of The Series and the Cubs are looking for, at the minimum, a similar performance to the one he made in Game 2. Arrieta took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in a game the Cubs won 5-1. Arrieta allowed one run on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
After a month of rather mediocre starts, Arrieta stepped up when the Cubs needed a good game from him against the Indians and he delivered once he settled in.
Jake Arrieta is 1-1 in his last three starts with a 3.78 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
Outside of Wrigley Field during the regular season, Arrieta was 11-3 in 15 starts with a 3.59 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. And Arrieta is 1-1 in four career starts in the regular season versus the Indians with an 8.69 ERA and 1.93 WHIP.
Indians Career Numbers against Jake Arrieta
- Mike Napoli: 3-for-10 with one home run and three walks
- Rajai Davis: 3-for-10
- Coco Crisp: 1-for-10 with one double
- Jason Kipnis: 3-for-8 with one double and one walk
- Carlos Santana: 1-for-6
- Lonnie Chisenhall: 1-for-6
- Francisco Lindor: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Yan Gomes: 0-for-3
- Tyler Naquin: 0-for-2
- Roberto Perez: 0-for-2
- Jose Ramirez: 0-for-1 with one walk
Josh Tomlin completely owned the Cubs in Game 3 on a night the wind was howling out at Wrigley Field. Tomlin gave up just two hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings with one strikeout in the Indians 1-0 win. The Cubs were not able to adjust to Tomlin’s off-speed stuff while swinging for the fences. The Cubs must make the adjustments or it will be more of the same tonight.
Tomlin is starting on three days rest which could mean the Cubs get only one shot at him. Terry Francona might not leave him in to face the Cubs the second time through the lineup, even if the Indians are winning the game.
As most learned in Game 3, Tomlin has not been the same pitcher over the last two months that he was early in the year. Plus, take out his terrible August in which he was dealing with personal issues, and those numbers look a lot better.
Tomlin was 1-1 in four games, three starts, in September with a 1.40 ERA and 0.78 WHIP (four runs, three earned, 15 hits, zero walks, seven strikeouts, 19 1/3 innings).
In three October starts (15 1/3 innings), Tomlin was 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA and 0.85 WHIP.
If the Cubs use the same approach against Josh Tomlin in Game 6 that they did in Game 3, the players will have extra time in the off-season to organize their strike zone.
Cubs Career Numbers against Josh Tomlin
- Ben Zobrist: 3-for-21 with one double, one home run and two walks
- Miguel Montero: 2-for-5 with one double
- David Ross: 0-for-1 with two walks
- Javier Baez: 0-for-2
- Kris Bryant: 0-for-1 with one walk
- Willson Contreras: 0-for-2
- Dexter Fowler: 0-for-2
- Anthony Rizzo: 0-for-2
- Addison Russell: 0-for-2
- Jorge Soler: 1-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …
