Cubs set to clinch at home
Chicago on brink of first World Series appearance since 1945
Two chances to collect one win and end seven decades of frustration.
The Chicago Cubs closed in on their first World Series trip since 1945 by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on Thursday in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.
Jon Lester pitched seven sharp innings and Addison Russell hit a tiebreaking homer as Chicago grabbed a 3-2 lead in the NLCS.
Now the Cubs have two cracks at wrapping up an elusive pennant at Wrigley Field.
“The city of Chicago has got to be buzzing right now,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We’re not going to run away from anything. It’s within our reach right now.”
The Cubs’ first opportunity to clinch comes on Saturday night in Game 6, when Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw faces major league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks.
Should a Game 7 be necessary, it will be on Sunday at Wrigley.
Of course, the Cubs were in the same favorable position 13 years ago — heading home to Wrigley with a 3-2 lead in the NLCS, but collapsed against the Florida Marlins.
More than a decade later, the franchise is still chasing its first World Series championship since 1908.
“We’ve heard the history, but at the same time we’re trying to make history,” said Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler.
Budding star Javier Baez was in the middle of everything for the Cubs, a common theme this October.
Scoreboard
The second baseman made a sensational defensive play when the game was still close in the seventh, and his threerun double capped a five-run eighth that made it 8-1.
After busting out of his postseason slump on Wednesday, Russell ripped a two-run homer for the second straight game — a sixth-inning drive off Joe Blanton that gave Chicago a 3-1 lead.
“Just rounding the bases, it was pretty exciting,” Russell said. “Pumped up, not only for myself but for the team and that little cushion that Jonny had to go forward from that.”
Baez had three of Chicago’s 13 hits, matching the team’s total in Game 4, when the Cubs snapped a 21-inning scoreless streak and won 10-2.
Lester allowed one run and five hits, improving to 2-0 in three playoff starts this year. He has given up two runs in 21 innings.
The left-hander struck out six and walked one in a slowpaced game that lasted 4 hours, 16 minutes.
“These guys won the game for us,” Lester said, nodding at Russell and Baez. “I was just kind of along for the ride.”
Anthony Rizzo’s run-scoring double gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the first. Los Angeles tied it in the fourth on Adrian Gonzalez’s RBI groundout.
Russell homered on an 0-1 pitch from Blanton, who gave up a single to Baez leading off the sixth. Baez stole second before Russell’s shot to leftcenter put the Cubs ahead on another unusually hot night at Dodger Stadium.
Blanton took his second loss of the series. The veteran right-hander gave up consecutive homers in the eighth inning of Game 1, including a tiebreaking grand slam by pinch-hitter Miguel Montero.
“Our confidence hasn’t wavered,” Roberts said. “This series certainly isn’t over.”
With the Dodgers trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Gonzalez found himself on the wrong end of a replay review for the second consecutive night.
With Baez playing way out on the outfield grass in shallow right, the slow-footed Gonzalez tried to take advantage with a drag bunt leading off the inning. Baez rushed in for a barehanded scoop and off-balance throw, but Gonzalez initially was called safe by first base umpire Ted Barrett.
The Cubs challenged and the ruling was overturned.
Former Manchester United star Paul Scholes (center) and ex-Liverpool great Luis Garcia play give-and-go during Friday’s World Legends Cup on the sidelines of the World Celebrity Pro-Am Mission Hills golf tournament in Haikou, Hainan province. A soccer training base has been opened at Mission Hills Resort to help boost China’s youth soccer development. Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker and Basketball Hall of Famers Yao Ming and Allen Iverson, along with Scholes’ former United teammates Dwight Yorke, Lee Sharpe and David May and former Liverpool greats Robbie Fowler and Gary McAllister are among the galaxy of stars from sports and entertainment who have gathered for a week of golf and glamour.