The World Series – Game 6 – Cubs 9, Indians 3
WP – Jake Arrieta (2-0) LP – Josh Tomlin (0-1) Save – None
Addison Russell, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo went yard on Tuesday night in Game 6 as the Cubs’ big bats stepped up behind Jake Arrieta. Russell hit a Grand Slam in the fourth and tied a World Series record with six RBI. Bryant put the Cubs on the board with a monster solo shot in the first. And Rizzo capped the scoring with a two-run blast in the ninth as the Cubs beat the Indians in Game 6.
There will be a Game 7 of The World Series on Wednesday night (7:00pm CDT) in Cleveland.
The Cubs big bats broke out of their World Series funk on a warm night in Cleveland. The Cubs scored nine runs on 13 hits with seven of the nine runs scoring on three swings of a bat.
Kris Bryant (4-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored) set the tone for the night. Bryant launched a first inning homer on a 0-2 pitch with two outs and put the Cubs on the board. Bryant finished the game with four hits in five trips to the plate.
Anthony Rizzo (3-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI) and Ben Zobrist (2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored) reached on back-to-back two out singles.
Addison Russell (2-for-5 with a double, a home run and six RBI) put the ball in play and it fell in between Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall for a double. Rizzo and Zobrist scored and the Cubs gave Jake Arrieta a three-run lead before he threw a pitch.
Addison Russell provided the Cubs with a cushion in the fourth inning with the first Grand Slam by a Cubs’ player in World Series play. Russell blasted a 2-0 pitch from Dan Otero to the stands in left center.
Anthony Rizzo hit his first World Series dinger, a two-run shot in the ninth with Kris Bryant on board.
Kyle Schwarber (1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored), Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell were a combined 12-for-23 with a double, three home runs, two walks, two strikeouts, nine runs scored and nine RBI.
The Cubs finished the night 3-for-10 with RISP and left six men on base. And five of the nine runs scored on two-out hits by Russell, Bryant and Rizzo.
Jake Arrieta had a good outing and became the first starting pitcher since Bob Gibson (1967) to win two road games in the same World Series. Arrieta did not give up a hit until the fourth inning and pitched into the sixth inning again. Arrieta allowed two runs on three hits and three walks. Arrieta hit a batter and struck out nine on 102 pitches, 60 for strikes, in 5 2/3 innings.
Mike Montgomery picked up the final out in the sixth and recorded the first two outs in the seventh before Joe Maddon went to Aroldis Chapman.
Aroldis Chapman completed 1 1/3 innings and was charged with one run on one hit and one walk. Chapman started the ninth with the Cubs leading by seven runs. Chapman walked Brandon Guyer and Pedro Strop allowed him to score.
Pedro Strop and Travis Wood combined on the final three outs to end the game.
The Cubs defense was spectacular Tuesday night. Jason Heyward made two game-changing plays. Addison Russell and Javier Baez added to their highlight reels by also making game-changing plays in the field. And Anthony Rizzo made several difficult plays look rather routine.
Josh Tomlin made quick work of Dexter Fowler (soft liner to third) and Kyle Schwarber (grounder to second base) to start the game. Tomlin jumped out 0-2 to Bryant. And seven pitches into the game, Tomlin appeared to be on the same track as Game 3. Bryant changed all of that in a hurry.
Kris Bryant launched Tomlin’s 0-2 pitch to deep left, the ball sailed into the stands and the Cubs took a 1-0 lead on a mammoth home run.
Anthony Rizzo followed Bryant’s blast with a single to right center (1-1 pitch). Ben Zobrist singled to right center (0-1 pitch). Rizzo went to third with two outs.
Addison Russell put a 1-1 pitch from Tomlin in play and popped the ball out to right center. Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall did not communicate. The ball fell in between the two Indians’ outfielders. Rizzo scored easily and Zobrist was waived in. Jason Kipnis threw home. Roberto Perez could not handle the throw, Zobrist bowled him over and scored … 3-0 Cubs. Russell went to third on Kipnis’ throwing error. Contreras flied out to right center (3-2 pitch) to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta worked around a two-out walk to Francisco Lindor in the first inning. Arrieta struck out two of the four batters swinging on 20 pitches, 12 for strikes.
And after one complete, the Cubs led 3-0.
Kyle Schwarber was first up in the third inning with the Cubs still leading 3-0. Schwarber worked a walk against Tomlin. Bryant popped out to right center for the first out. Rizzo rapped a 2-2 pitch back up the middle and into center. Schwarber stopped at second. Zobrist smoked a single to right. Gary Jones held up Schwarber at third and the Cubs loaded the bases with one out.
Terry Francona decided that was enough for Josh Tomlin and went to his pen for Dan Otero.
Addison Russell took the first two offerings from Otero. Russell did not miss the third pitch. Russell crushed the 2-0 pitch. The ball got out of the park in a hurry and the Cubs took a 7-0 lead on a Grand Slam by Addison Russell.
Contreras grounded out to short and Baez popped out to short to end the inning.
Jake Arrieta pitched a 1-2-3 third inning.
The Cubs had a 7-0 lead after three complete.
The Cubs did nothing against Danny Salazar in the top of the fourth. The Indians started chipping into the 7-0 deficit in the bottom of the inning.
Jason Kipnis led off the fourth with a double off the wall in left center, the Indians first hit of the game. Arrieta struck out Lindor swinging (0-2 pitch). Arrieta made a mistake on a 3-2 pitch to Mike Napoli and he pounded the ball into left center. Kipnis scored, 7-1 Cubs.
Jason Heyward changed the inning. Heyward ran in and made a sliding, tumbling catch to rob Jose Ramirez of a hit. Arrieta then hit Lonnie Chisenhall. The first pitch to Coco Crisp got through Contreras’ five-hole. Napoli and Chisenhall moved up to second and third with two outs. Arrieta looked like he wanted nothing to do with Crisp after the passed ball. Arrieta walked Crisp and loaded the bases with two down. Arrieta struck out Tyler Naquin swinging (0-2 pitch) to end the inning.
The Cubs led 7-1 after four innings.
The Cubs had chances to add on in the fifth and sixth innings. The Cubs continued to hit the ball hard, but could not get one to go through in order to add to the lead. Jason Kipnis took Arrieta deep in the fifth and made it a 7-2 game. Mike Montgomery replaced Arrieta in the sixth and the Cubs ended the inning on a sensational diving stop by Addison Russell and shovel to Javier Baez.
Game 6 went to the seventh with the Cubs leading 7-2.
The Cubs put two on with no outs in the seventh against Zach McAllister. Schwarber singled to left and Bryant singled to left on a 3-2 pitch. Rizzo flied out to right and Zobrist flied out to deep left for the second out. Addison Russell smoked a 2-1 pitch toward third that Ramirez fielded and took to the bag to end the inning.
Mike Montgomery started the seventh. Rajai Davis hit for Tyler Naquin and flied out to left. Montgomery walked Roberto Perez. Carlos Santana flied out to center (1-2 pitch). But Jason Kipnis stayed hot and singled to right on a 2-0 pitch. With Francisco Lindor due up, Maddon wasted no time and went to Aroldis Chapman with the Cubs leading 7-2.
Lindor bounced a 0-1 pitch toward the hole at first. Rizzo fielded the ball and flipped to Chapman. Lindor appeared to beat Chapman to the bag and was called safe. Chapman tweaked his ankle on the close play. And the Indians had the bases loaded.
Maddon had the umps take another look and the replay showed Chapman just beat Lindor to the base. The call on the field was overturned and the game went to the eighth with the Cubs leading 7-2.
The Cubs went down in order in the eighth against Mike Clevinger. Maddon left Chapman in for the eighth. Jose Ramirez singled to center with one out. The Cubs erased Ramirez when Yan Gomes, hitting for Chisenhall, grounded into a 6-4-3 inning ending double play. Russell made a low throw to Baez that he caught and threw a strike to Rizzo to complete the inning ender.
Anthony Rizzo gave his team some much-needed breathing room in the ninth. Kris Bryant singled to left with two outs and was on first base when Rizzo launched a 0-1 pitch from Clevinger into the stands in right. Rizzo’s blast made it 9-2 Cubs. Zobrist walked as Maddon got Travis Wood and Pedro Strop up in the bullpen. Russell grounded out to short to end the inning.
Aroldis Chapman started the ninth with the Cubs leading 9-2.
Brandon Guyer walked and Maddon went to his pen for Pedro Strop. Davis flied out to deep center for the first out. Roberto Perez ripped a 1-2 pitch into right. Guyer scored, 9-3 Cubs. Heyward threw out Perez trying to stretch a single to a double with his team down by six runs. Strop walked Santana which made Perez’s baserunning gaffe even worse. With two outs, Maddon went to his pen for Travis Wood.
Addison Russell caught a pop up down the left field line in foul territory off the bat of Jason Kipnis to end the game.
With Tuesday’s win, there will be a seventh game of The World Series. The Cubs and Indians are tied at 3-3.
Kyle Hendricks takes on Corey Kluber in the winner takes all Game 7 of The World Series on Wednesday night (7:00pm CDT) at Progressive Field.
