Indians rout Chicago Cubs to reach brink of World Series title
MOVING within one victory of their first World Series title since 1948, the Cleveland Indians have long-suffering Chicago Cubs supporters on the verge of more misery and another heart-breaking failure.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber pitched superbly over six innings on short rest while Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana smashed home runs on Saturday as the Indians routed the Cubs 7-2 to seize a 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final.
The Indians could end their epic title drought and extend the Cubs’ epic 107-year futility streak by winning Game 5 (at 7:15am this morning Cambodian time) at Wrigley Field.
“We have to take tomorrow with the same approach we’ve taken every game to this point,” Kluber said. “If we relax or take our foot off the gas pedal, that’s just inviting them to get momentum and come back into the Series.”
The Cubs, in their first World Series since 1945, are trying to end the longest title drought in American sports history, and the only one in baseball longer than that of the Indians, by capturing their first World Series since 1908.
“We’re chasing it. We’re still in there,” Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler said. “This team is keeping its head up.”
No Cleveland sports team had won a title in 52 years until the Cavaliers took the NBA crown in June. Now the city is on the brink of two championships in four months.
“We have a ways to go. We’re not done. We still have work to do,” Indians manager Terr y Francona said. “Nothing needs to change. They don’t need a ta lk ing to. They’re doing just fine. If t hey don’t understand by now, they’re probably not going to.”
Chicago native smashes Cubs
Teams with a 3-1 Series edge have won the crown 40 of 46 times, including 10 in a row, last failing in 1985 when Kansas City won the final three games to defeat St Louis.
Kipnis, a Chicago native who grew up cheering on the Cubs, blasted a three-run homer i n the sevent h inning t hat quieted fans at 102-year-old Wrigley Field, where the Cubs are 2-12 in Series games and haven’t won a Fall Classic contest in 71 years.
“Probably can’t say the words that were going into my mind. Kids are watching t his ! ” Kipnis said of his blast. “But it’s just excitement. To be put into a situation like t his and actually have something happen like t hat is – for t he lack of a better term – a dream come true.”
Indians starting pitcher Kluber a llowed only one run on five hits over si x innings wit h si x strikeouts. The 30-year-old right-hander became the first pitcher since Cincinnati’s Jose Rijo in 1990 to win games one and four of the World Series.
Kluber struck out nine and scattered four hits over six scoreless innings in Tuesday’s opener as Cleveland blanked the Cubs 6-0. He’s now 5-1 in the playoffs with a 0.89 earned-run average.
Chicago’s 38-year-old right-handed pitcher John Lackey, a two-time World Series champion, surrendered three runs on four hits over five innings in his 23rd career playoff start, the most of any active pitcher.
Kipnis doubled to the rightfield wall and Francisco Lindor singled to score him for a 3-1 Cleveland lead in the third inning. It was Lindor’s sixth hit of the Series, making him, at 22, the youngest player since 1997 with so many.
Lindor scored on a sixth-inning sacrifice fly by Lonnie Chisenhall and Kipnis smashed his homer in the seventh off Cubs reliever Travis Wood to all-but seal Chicago’s fate”
Curse lifted?
Meanwhile, at the Billy Goat Tavern, the owners and managers say the “curse” has been lifted from the Cubs, but now it’s on them to win their first World Series since 1908.
Back in 1945, Billy Goat owner Bill Sianis brought his goat Murphy to the game but both were ejected after fans complained the animal stunk. Sianis imposed the “Curse of the Billy Goat” and until this year they had not reached the World Series since then.
“In our minds, the curse is done,” said Tom Sianis, a manager at the bar. “Now it’s up for the Cubs. We’re here for everybody who wants to see it finally happen.
“We’re kind of Ground Zero of the curse. Winning the Series is how we want the goat to be remembered and not for 71 years of a curse.”
Sam Sianis, the Billy Goat’s proprietor and nephew of curse-placer Bill, brought a goat into Wrigley Field in 1984 and 1994 and says that banished the hoodoo. “Oh yeah, the curse is gone,” he said. “I went with a goat all around inside there and broke the curse.”