Oh, K: Kluber real deal in Game 1
CLEVELAND— The Cubs have been here before, right? We think so. We’d better hope so. Cubs fans will wake up Wednesday morning and continue working as hard as it takes to convince themselves that the team’s 6- 0 defeat against Corey Kluber and the Indians in Game 1 of theWorld Series was a simple matter of an elite pitcher having one of those unhittable nights.
As was the case with the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series, Kluber— a favorite to win his second Cy Young award in the last three years— shut down the Cubs with ruthless precision. He recorded aWorld Series- record eight of his first nine outs by strikeout and finished with nine Ks and zero walks in six- plus shutout innings.
“Listen, I’ve seen Kluber before,” said Cubs manager JoeMaddon, “and that does not surprise anybody that’s seen him before.”
Hey, if you’re going to go down, you might as well go down swinging. Or looking. Six times, a Cubs hitter watched strike three whiz by without taking his bat off his shoulder. Chris Coghlan, a surprise starter in right field, did it twice. Pretty sure Jason Heyward could’ve done that.
But there’s no sense getting too down about it, because we all know what happened the second time the Cubs got a crack at Kershaw. That was Saturday night atWrigley Field, which was the place to be if you like a wild party.
Barring a sweep, they’ll see Kluber again. They might get him in Game 4 in Chicago and— depending how much the Indians want to push the short- rest thing — in Game 7 right back here in Cleveland, where he has yet to give up a run in 19⅓ innings this postseason.
“It’s all about doing whatever we can to get four wins before they do,” the 30- year- old righthander said. “If that means pitching on short rest, then I’m more than willing to do that.”
Kluber gave the Indians what the Cubs’ No. 1 pitcher and Cy Young candidate, Jon Lester, couldn’t give his team. Lester came in with seriousWorld Series pedigree— 3- 0 with a 0.43 ERA, 18 strikeouts and only four walks in three starts, all with theRed Sox— andwas the Cubs’ best pitcher over the course of the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Lester said a day before the game that he wouldn’t let his nerves get to him or worry about the crowd, but both of those things seemed to happen in the first inning. After retiring Rajai Davis on a strikeout and Jason Kipnis on a liner to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, he gave up a single to Francisco Lindor, then walked Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana. After a run- scoring infield hit by Jose Ramirez, Lester hit Brandon Guy with a pitch for the Indians’ second run.
“In a playoff game, that’s all they need,” he said.
Kluber kept the Cubs on lockdown. They’ll have to find a way to bust out against Trevor Bauer in Game 2, or else it’ll mean big trouble. It’s bad enough that 12 of the last 13 teams to lose Game 1 of theWorld Series have ended up without a championship.
Jake Arrieta’s table is ready— the Cubs need him to eatWednesday night like the big dog he was for so long last season and for much of this one. Lester likely won’t pitch again until Game 5.
“Hopefully,” Lester said, “Jake can pick me up and give me another chance.”