Indians edge Cubs 1-0

CLEVELAND TAKES 2-1 LEAD IN WORLD SERIES

Cody Allen, Andrew Miller and the Cleveland Indians’ nasty bullpen shut down a Wrigley Field party 71 years in the making.

Allen escaped a ninth-inning jam and the Indians pitched their fifth shutout this postseason, holding off the Chicago Cubs 1-0 Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the World Series.

The crowd began forming beyond the ivycovered walls in the early morning, all revved up for the first World Series game at Wrigley since 1945.

Fans were roaring after a two-out error by first baseman Mike Napoli helped Chicago put runners on second and third in the ninth. Allen silenced the neighbourhood ballpark, striking out co-NL Championship Series MVP Javier Baez to end it.

Pinch-hitter Coco Crisp hit an RBI single in the seventh off Carl Edwards Jr. for the lone run.

Indians starter Josh Tomlin went 4 2/3 innings, then Miller, Bryan Shaw and Allen took over.

The Cubs have been blanked four times in the last eight games this post-season. It was their first 1-0 loss in the World Series since Babe Ruth and the Boston Red Sox beat them in 1918.

Cleveland as a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead with ace Corey Kluber starting Game 4 on short rest today and coming off a dominant performance in the opener. John Lackey pitches for Chicago.

But just as they did against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, the Cubs will have to rally from a 2-1 deficit if they are finally going to win it all.

Miller got the final out for Tomlin in the fifth, stranding a runner at second. Miller, the ALCS MVP, struck out Dexter Fowler, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo in the sixth.

Bryan Shaw worked the seventh and exited after Dexter Fowler singled with two out in the eighth. Allen fanned Bryant to end the inning.

Rizzo opened the ninth with a single and took second on a one-out grounder. Jason Heyward followed with a grounder that Napoli misplayed, but at least the big guy kept the ball in front of him and kept the tying run from scoring.

Heyward stole second without a throw before Allen fanned Baez for this sixth save this postseason.

Two more wins and the Indians will claim the first championship since 1948. The Cubs still need three more for the first crown since 1908.

“It’s just good chemistry over here and our guys kept their poise,” Crisp said. “Our pitching did a great job, their pitching did a great job over there and that’s what type of series this is going to be, it seems like.”

“The runs are at a premium and we need to get them when we can and fortunately for us, we got one today and they didn’t.”