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This time, it was the Chicago Cubs that got the lead in the early going, and this time, it was Chicago’s ace out of the bullpen that had the extended relief session and helped his team gain the victory.

The Cubs have lived to fight another day in the World Series, as they beat the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in Game 5 of the World Series. The Indians lead the series by a 3-2 margin, and the two teams will head to Cleveland for Game 6 of the series Tuesday night.

The Cubs got excellent starting pitching from Jon Lester, who gave up a second-inning home run to Jose Ramirez and little else in his six innings of work. Carl Edwards Jr. came on in the seventh inning to record one out and give up one hit, and that’s when Chicago manager Joe Maddon brought in fire-balling closer Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman has been anything but a sure thing for the Cubs since he was acquired from the Yankees, and he has usually done his best work when closing out games by pitching just the ninth inning.

But this time, Chapman pitched 2.2 innings, and he closed the game with a flourish, as he struck out Ramirez.

The Cubs scored three runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. Kris Bryant sparked the rally with a leadoff home run, his first of the series.

While all the Indians need to do is win one of the final two games at home to win their first World Series since 1948, the Cubs will send 2015 Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta to the mound in Game 6 against Josh Tomlin.

Arrieta has a 1-1 record in this year’s postseason, and he was victorious for the Cubs in Game 2 of the World Series in Cleveland. He pitched 5.2 innings of two-hit, one-run baseball, and when he is on his game, he is as difficult to hit as any pitcher in the game.

Tomlin was in top form in Game 3 when he pitched 4.2 innings of one-hit baseball without giving up a run. The Indians eventually picked up the 1-0 win in that game, as relief pitchers Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen finished the job for the Indians.

If Cleveland manager Terry Francona holds onto that strategy, Tomlin probably won’t pitch more than five innings in Game 6.

Arrieta can pitch longer than that, but Maddon may not ask him for much more than the six innings Lester pitched Sunday.

While the final two games will be played in Cleveland’s Progressive Field under American League rules, it may help the Cubs because they will be able to use slugger Kyle Schwarber as the designated hitter.

Schwarber, who tore two ligaments in his knee in early April, has not been cleared to play the field and was only able to pinch hit in the games at Wrigley Field. He had three hits in the two earlier games in Cleveland and is a major force in the lineup.

Prediction

Arrieta may have a more difficult time in his second World Series start because he has not been as consistent in the second half of the season as he was in the first half.

Tomlin will also have a hard time matching what he did at Wrigley field. Look for both teams to come through offensively.

Look for Schwarber to come through with his first World Series home run, and the Cubs should pick up the victory in Game 6 and extend the World Series to a seventh and decisive game Wednesday night.

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The Indians are on the precipice of the seemingly impossible: bringing a second championship to Cleveland in the span of four months.

(OK, Cleveland Monsters faithful—third championship to Cleveland.)

Behind some surprisingly brilliant pitching and clutch hitting, the Indians have taken each of the first two games in Chicago and can wrap up the 2016 World Series later Sunday night with a win in Game 5. The Indians will hand the ball to Trevor Bauer, the only Cleveland pitcher to take a loss so far in this series.

Bauer has had a difficult go during the playoffs, injuring his pinkie finger while fixing his custom drone and struggling with his effectiveness. He had trouble finding his location despite being give a clean bill of health in Game 2, and some fans have clamored for Bauer to be replaced by Ryan Merritt—the unlikely hero for Cleveland in the ALCS.

“Ryan did a really good job in his game in Toronto, but Trevor’s been a really good pitcher for us for four years,” Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters. “If we thought that the finger was getting in the way, I understand it. But he’s come so far and battled this thing so much that I think his better game is ahead of him.”

The Cubs will hand the ball to Jon Lester, who gave up three runs in 5.2 innings and took the loss in Game 1. The Indians had a field day running on Lester and will likely look to do the same Sunday. Throwing to first base has become a nonstarter for Lester, and the Cubs have to contend with his inability to check runners every start. 

Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz spoke to Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune about Lester’s issues:

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After a brilliant season that saw them dominate the National League in the regular season, the Chicago Cubs are one loss away from elimination as they prepare for Game 5 of the World Series Sunday night.

The American League champion Cleveland Indians have jumped out to a 3-1 lead after winning back-to-back games at Wrigley Field. Cleveland won a nail-biting 1-0 game in Game 3 Friday night and then had a big offensive outing in a 7-2 victory in Game 4. Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis bashed home runs to lead the Cleveland attack.

While the Cubs are up against it right now, they are sending ace left-hander Jon Lester to the mound against Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer. Lester was not at his best in Game 1 of the series against Cleveland ace Corey Kluber. Meanwhile, in Game 2, the Cubs touched up Bauer, who was tagged with the loss.

If the Cubs can find a way to win Game 5 and send the World Series back to Cleveland, it could be significant. While they would still have to win two games in enemy territory to win their first world championship since 1908, they would get slugger Kyle Schwarber back in the lineup. 

Schwarber had three hits in the first two World Series games as the designated hitter, but he has not been cleared to play defensively as a result of the torn knee ligaments he suffered in April.

Schwarber‘s approach at the plate has been polished and powerful. Unlike many of the Cubs hitters, he does not swing at bad pitches, and when he gets the pitch he likes, he is capable of doing damage. His Game 1 double just missed going out of the park, while both of his Game 2 singles drove in runs.

Since Schwarber has not been cleared to play the field, he can only be used as a pinch hitter in Chicago. Cubs manager Joe Maddon told ESPN.com’s Bradford Doolittle the ideal situation is to use him against Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw. 

“Right there the better matchup, according to our work, is even Shaw over (Cody) Allen, and I just wanted to get him out there,” Maddon said. “There were no guarantees that we’re going to get to the bottom part of the batting order.”

The Indians never know what to expect from Bauer. He won 12 games in the regular season, but he has a 5.00 ERA in nine postseason innings.

“We expect a Trevor start,” Kipnis told the Associated Press’ Tom Withers. “We’re not sure what that means, but we expect Trevor to go out there. He’s a competitor. Don’t let him fool you. He’s a guy who competes and never makes a moment too big. Whether he has it or not, it isn’t because the situation’s too big.”

On the other hand, the Cubs have confidence in Lester to give them a strong start, as evidenced by Kris Bryant’s remarks. 

“Jon is going to give us a good game,” Bryant told Doolittle. “He’s our ace for a reason.”

Maddon is tired of watching his team flail away at the plate against Cleveland’s bullpen. 

“We’ve just got to grab a lead,” Maddon told Doolittle. “We’ve got to grab a lead [before] the latter part of the game and avoid those [bullpen] guys with either being tied or them having a lead. That’s what we have to do.”

If the Cubs can do that, they should have an excellent chance of sending the World Series back to Cleveland for Game 6 Tuesday night.

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With a 7-2 victory Saturday night, the Cleveland Indians took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Chicago Cubs, and they’ll be looking to wrap up a World Series title Sunday.

Game 1 starter Jon Lester gets the ball for the Cubs after turning in a less-than-spectacular start his last time out when he allowed six hits, three walks and three earned runs in 5.2 innings to take the loss.

Meanwhile, the Indians will turn to Trevor Bauer on three days’ rest after doing the same with ace Corey Kluber Saturday night. Bauer made it just 3.2 innings in Game 2, allowing six hits and two earned runs to earn the loss.

Ahead of what could be a decisive Game 5 in Chicago, let’s take a look at some keys to success for both teams.

Indians: Get just enough from Trevor Bauer

The Indians have ridden the three-headed bullpen monster of Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen hard this postseason, and the formula has worked.

When Game 5 starter Trevor Bauer lasted just 3.2 innings in Game 2, however, it meant digging deeper into the relief corps, which quickly turned into an advantage for the Cubs.

Zach McAllister was the first to follow Bauer, and he promptly allowed two runs in his two-thirds of an inning of work as the Cubs managed to come away with a 5-1 victory to tie the series at one game apiece.

The Indians aren’t asking for a complete game out of Bauer, who will be working on three days’ rest. They simply need him to pitch deep enough that the questionable middle relief is a non-factor, allowing them to go straight to that lights-out trio.

For that to happen, Bauer will need to survive the opening frame.

During the regular season, the right-hander worked to a 6.43 ERA in the first inning, and those early-game struggles have continued in the playoffs.

The Boston Red Sox got on the board in the first inning with a run against Bauer in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and the Cubs did the same in Game 2 of the World Series when Anthony Rizzo doubled home Kris Bryant.

Cubs: Get an ace-caliber start from Jon Lester

Leading up to the World Series this year and throughout his postseason career, Jon Lester has been mostly brilliant when the lights are brightest.

In 124.2 career playoff innings, he’s pitched to a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, including three terrific starts in the division series and championship series this postseason.

He wasn’t at his best in Game 1, though.

Too much nibbling on an outside corner where he wasn’t getting strike calls meant falling behind against a lot of hitters, and by the time his night was over, he had thrown just 57 strikes among his 97 pitches.

It was the first time that the 32-year-old failed to pitch at least six innings in a playoff game since 2013—a run of eight starts dating back to his time in Boston.

Sunday will be the biggest start Lester has made in a Cubs uniform, and with the offense sputtering once again in Game 4, Chicago needs the ace version of the left-hander to show up.

“He has been lights-out,” shortstop Addison Russell told reporters after the Game 4 loss. “He has been our ace this year. We have all the faith in the world in him. I can’t wait to play (Sunday) and I know these guys can’t wait to play (Sunday) and hopefully get back at (the Indians).”

Both Teams: Capitalize with runners in scoring position

Clutch hits breed heroes during the postseason, and capitalizing with runners in scoring position remains an obvious key to success for both teams.

That’s been easier said than done this World Series, though.

The Indians are hitting .231 with runners in scoring position so far during the Fall Classic, while the Cubs have managed a meager .135 clip.

In fact, the Cubs have struck out a staggering 17 times in 39 such plate appearances, so their offensive shortcomings have not been for lack of opportunity.

Early October hero Javier Baez has seen a team-high nine at-bats with runners in scoring position, failing to drive in a single run and going 1-for-9 with four strikeouts.

The home run ball has not been a weapon for the Cubs so far this series, so finding a way to manufacture a run or stringing together some base hits may be what it takes to break through.

On the other side, a dialed-in Lester could make things difficult on the Indians, so cashing in the chances they do have will be that much more important.

It sounds easy enough, but the difference in Game 5 could be who comes up with that one clutch hit.

All stats courtesy of MLB.com, unless otherwise noted.

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The 112th edition of the World Series will see its last game played at Wrigley Field and possibly the last game of the series on Sunday night after the Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago Cubs 7-2 in Game 4 on Saturday.

With the Indians one win away from their first World Series title since 1948, here is a look at the Game 5 schedule:

The Cubs are expected to roll out Jon Lester for Game 5, and the Indians will start Trevor Bauer. But both of these pitchers have been touched up a bit during this World Series.

After Lester shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, he faced off against Corey Kluber, who pitched a gem in Game 1.

While Kluber struck out eight Cubs in the first three innings, Lester allowed three runs in the first four as Chicago was shut out, 6-0:

The following night would see the inconsistent Cubs offense come alive against Bauer, grabbing two runs off him in 3.2 innings before he was pulled for Zach McAllister, who gave up two more earned runs:

But Chicago’s bats have gone silent over the last two games. They’ve combined for just two runs in the past 18 innings, as Cleveland’s pitching has been just about unhittable. 

Cleveland’s pitching staff has been headlined by reliever Andrew Miller, via Fox Sports: MLB:

If the Cubs do find a way to come back, it will add on to a historic World Series win, via ESPN:

Given the way the Indians are playing, though, it looks like an insurmountable challenge at the moment. 

The Indians have scored eight runs in their past two games and benefited from their dominant pitching. Now, they have three chances to win just one more game. 

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It’s crunch time for the Chicago Cubs. 

Following Friday night’s 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs now trail 2-1 in the 2016 World Series and face the prospect of falling behind 3-1 if they can’t solve Corey Kluber on Saturday evening at Wrigley Field.

So as first pitch approaches and tensions in the Windy City grow, here’s a look at when and where you can catch all of the Game 4 action:  

Game 4 Preview

With a chance to take a commanding lead in the Fall Classic, the Indians will hand the ball over to Kluber—who last pitched on short rest in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.  

Kluber was solid in that outing to the tune of seven strikeouts, four hits and two earned runs allowed in five innings, but the Indians fell 5-1 in Kluber‘s only loss of the postseason to date. 

But this time around, Kluber sounds more confident in his ability to pitch on three days’ rest. 

“The last time was first time on short rest, so I didn’t know what to expect about how I was going to feel,” he said, according to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes. “Now that I do know I felt fine, it’s just a matter of using those three days to recover.”

And while Kluber is feeling more confident the second time around, so are the Cubs. 

Although Chicago was shut out by Kluber when he went six innings and struck out nine in Game 1, the Cubs appear confident they will have a better approach against the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner when they hit the field on Saturday night. 

“Anytime you see a guy multiple times in a week, you’re going to feel more comfortable,” Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler said, according to the Chicago Tribune‘s Mark Gonzales. 

The Cubs will counter with John Lackey, who hasn’t made a postseason appearance since Oct. 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Furthermore, the 38-year-old hasn’t pitched more than four innings in the 2016 playoffs. However, the Cubs aren’t letting those numbers dampen their optimism. 

“I have a lot of faith in John, and I know he’s going to be ready,” manager Joe Maddon said, according to the Chicago Tribune‘s Paul Skrbina. “I never worry about him, man. He has been there, done that, and I know he’ll be ready for (Saturday).”

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The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a difficult situation as they prepare for Game 4 of the World Series.

The Cleveland Indians are sending ace Corey Kluber to the mound with a 2-1 lead in the World Series, and he has already dominated the Cubs lineup once. They need to find a way to get to him or they face the very real possibility of going down three games to one.

Going into the World Series, Cleveland manager Terry Francona set up his starting pitching rotation so Kluber could pitch Game 1, Game 4 and Game 7. In that scenario, the Indians would have to come out on the winning side of one other game if they were going to earn their first title since 1948.

They earned that victory in Game 3 as the Indians pulled out a 1-0 win with starter Josh Tomlin and relievers Andrew Miller, Bud Shaw and Cody Allen holding the Cubs in check.

The Indians scored the only run of the game in the top of the seventh inning as pinch hitter Coco Crisp lined a one-out single to right field that brought in pinch runner Michael Martinez. The Indians had threatened several times in the first six innings, but starter Kyle Hendricks and reliever Jason Grimm had quashed those threats with excellent pitching.

The Cubs did not have a strong threat until the bottom of the ninth inning. Anthony Rizzo singled to open the inning, and pinch runner Chris Coghlan advanced to second on a ground ball.

With two outs, pinch hitter Jason Heyward hit a ground ball that got to first baseman Mike Napoli on an awkward hop, and he could only keep the ball in front of him and was charged with an error. Heyward stole second, giving Javier Baez an opportunity with runners on second and third to tie or possibly win the game with a base hit.

Allen worked him perfectly and struck him out on a high fastball to end the game. The shutout was the Indians’ fifth of the postseason, a new major league record.

While Kluber will get the ball for the Indians in Game 4 at 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox TV), veteran John Lackey gets the starting assignment for the Cubs. Lackey has played the role of World Series hero in previous stints with the Anaheim Angels in 2002 and the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

Kluber had an 18-9 record with a 3.14 earned run average and a 1.056 WHIP during the regular season. He has been even better in the postseason with a 3-1 record, a 0.74 ERA and a 0.986 WHIP.

Lackey, clearly the Cubs’ No. 4 starter this season behind Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Hendricks, was 11-8 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.057 WHIP. Lackey has pitched 8.0 innings in the postseason and has given up five earned runs as he heads into Game 4 of the World Series.

Kluber would appear to have the advantage, but he is pitching with just three days of rest. Additionally, the Cubs are now familiar with him, because he pitched 6.0 innings against them in the series opener.

However, they will have to swing the bats a lot better than they did in Game 1, when Kluber struck out nine and gave up just four hits without walking a batter.

Kluber told Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com that he is not worried about pitching on short rest. 

“It’s basically doing the same stuff in one less day,” Kluber said. “Your side sessions are a little shorter and things like that, but I’m still able to get in the things I need to do.”

Prediction

The Cubs had the best record in the regular season by a wide margin this year, and they are a confident team. 

While they rarely had any problems in the regular season, the San Francisco Giants pushed them hard in the National League Division Series and the Los Angeles Dodgers also tested them in the NLCS.

They responded to adversity in both of those series, and they will in the World Series as well. Look for Lackey to play the role of bulldog on the mound and fight his way out of trouble. Kluber will have a strong game for the Indians, but the Cubs will do just enough to build a lead.

Look for the Cubs to come away with a 3-2 win and tie the series at two games each.

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The Cleveland Indians took a critical 2-1 series lead Friday night in the 2016 World Series over the Chicago Cubs, and the road team now has a chance to take a commanding advantage Saturday night in Game 4 at Wrigley Field.

In a tight pitching affair, Josh Tomlin allowed only two hits through 4.2 innings, and the dynamite bullpen combination of Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen held down the fort for a 1-0 Cleveland win. Meanwhile, Chicago’s streaky offense made its presence felt again, as the team was shut out for the fourth time this postseason.

Here is a look at the full viewing schedule, including live stream, in addition to odds and some notable comments from both teams ahead of Saturday’s showdown.

Odds are according to Odds Shark.

Corey Kluber will take the mound Saturday looking to lift Cleveland with a repeat of his dominant Game 1 performance. In a 6-0 win, the Indians ace was nearly flawless in six innings while allowing no runs and four hits.

The movement of his sinker—which is especially difficult for right-handed hitters, as it ties them up at their hands to force easy grounders—was working at full force to frustrate the Chicago lineup. Anthony Rizzo elaborated on the pitch’s effectiveness after Game 1, per MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince.

“It just starts at your hip,” Rizzo said of the pitch. “And it comes in at you and then he can cut it off of that, too. … It’s just really picking a lane.”

There could be more of that sort of frustration coming for Chicago, as Kluber has been locked in during this postseason. In four starts, the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner is 3-1 with a microscopic 0.74 ERA. Kluber had never pitched in the playoffs before his current campaign, and he attributes his success so far to elevated focus, per Castrovince.

“Not that there is less importance on a regular-season game,” said Kluber, “but it’s almost like you have that extra level of intensity or focus and stuff that it’s not really something you can replicate.”

Chicago proved this postseason it can rebound against top pitchers the second time around.

In the National League Championship Series, Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw owned the Cubs in Game 2 with seven innings of work while allowing no runs, two hits and one walk. In Game 6, Chicago was much better; Kershaw allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, as the Cubs were able to advance to the World Series.

Can Chicago replicate this success against Kluber? Well, it may need to find a way to get Kyle Schwarber involved. At this point, though, it seems Schwarber will not be available for multiple at-bats in any game at Wrigley Field:

He can make an impact as a pinch hitter and as a presence in the dugout, as Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said the team views his bat and character as his greatest assets, per Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci:

His bat and his intangibles are why we drafted him. He’s a complete impact hitter with the bat, but more than that he’s the perfect player to have as a franchise player because he can be one of your best players who everybody else wants to follow because of his character. He’s a special player and a special person.

Schwarber popped out in his lone pinch-hit effort in Game 3. Chicago’s lineup lacked some of the swagger Friday that it had when Schwarber was in the lineup for Games 1 and 2, as it only totaled five hits, so it will need to find another source of offense if Schwarber continues to start on the bench.

The uncertainty around Chicago’s offense puts some extra pressure to perform on John Lackey, who will start Game 4 for the Cubs. The 38-year-old has plenty of playoff experience, but his starts this postseason have been very spread out, as he noted Friday, per the Chicago Tribune‘s Paul Skrbina.

“It has been kind of a crazy schedule for me,” Lackey said. “I feel like I’m pitching every two weeks kind of deal. Once you get into the game you kind of fall back on things you’ve been doing all season, and hopefully you execute.”

Lackey has not pitched since Oct. 19, when he tossed four innings with two runs and three hits allowed in a no-decision that resulted in a 10-2 win. His only other start came Oct. 11, when Lackey also went four innings in a no-decision.

However, Cubs manager Joe Maddon is still confident he can get a quality outing out of Lackey in a critical ballgame, per Skrbina:

I just want to believe that he keeps getting stronger. But there is a certain amount of rust element involved. However, I have a lot of faith in John, and I know he’s going to be ready. I never worry about him, man. He has been there, done that, and I know he’ll be ready for (Saturday).

Lackey’s history against the current Cleveland roster suggests he should do fine Saturday, as most of the Indians have struggled against the righty:

Given Lackey’s track record this postseason, the Cubs should not expect more than five innings from their starter. This could be troubling considering the fact Chicago has not generated any consistent offense and that it will be going against an ace in Kluber.

The Indians already proved they can win at Wrigley Field, and they should be favored in this one. However, the Cubs cannot be counted out just yet, as the team responded to a two-game scoreless streak against the Dodgers with 23 combined runs in the next three contests. Chicago has the ability to explode offensively; it just remains to be seen if it can do so against Kluber.

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com.

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Brandishing a 2-1 World Series lead, the Cleveland Indians can jump one step closer to an elusive title with a Game 4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.

As Cleveland should know, a 3-1 advantage doesn’t guarantee a title. Yet despite the edge, there’s extra pressure to win with its ace on the mound. 

Cleveland will turn back to Corey Kluber, who tossed six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and no walks during Game 1’s 6-0 victory. The 30-year-old starter will go on short rest against John Lackey, a well-traveled veteran making his fifth World Series start for his third different team.

Heading into Saturday night’s pivotal Game 4, let’s map out each club’s blueprint to notching an important win at Wrigley Field.

Indians: Follow the Kluber-Miller-Allen Formula

With Kluber on the mound, Cleveland’s road map to victory is simple. It’s the same one the AL champions used in Game 1 of both the American League Championship Series and Fall Classic. 

Get six or seven inning stellar innings from the ace before turning the game over to Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. Laugh manically as the Cubs grow increasingly defeated with every passing punchout.

On Tuesday night, the superstar trio combined for 15 strikeouts and two walks—both uncharacteristically from Miller, who issued nine free passes all season—during their win. The Cubs made Miller work in his most mortal outing of a spectacular postseason, but the southpaw still submitted six outs without spoiling the shutout.

Kluber has not allowed a run in three of his four postseason starts, and Cleveland’s bullpen kept the shutout intact each time. In two of those outings, manager Terry Francona handed the ball to Andrew Miller and Cody Allen for the final three frames.

For anyone still wondering how Cleveland has survived this long without Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar, these three are the answer. They have worked 46.2 of 98 postseason innings with remarkably outstanding results. With anyone else on the mound, things get more interesting:

Leaning on the studs seems simple on paper, but remember that Kluber is working on three days’ rest. The last time he pitched on a short turnaround, he allowed his only two runs over five innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

After using Miller and Allen in extended roles the previous day, Francona saved him with his squad still boasting a 3-0 ALCS lead. Bryan Shaw and Mike Clevinger relinquished three runs after a scoreless inning from Dan Otero, the group’s unsung hero. 

Slightly tweaking Plan A to include Otero isn’t cause for major concern, but Bryan Shaw threw 31 pitches Friday, and everyone else looks unequipped to handle a thunderous Cubs offense. Salazar was rusty in his Game 2 playoff debut, surrendering two walks over an inning.

Even though he was dealing, Francona limited Kluber to 88 Game 1 pitches with Game 4 in mind. The three-man rotation means Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin (if necessary) will also start on short rest. If using Kluber in that scenario is risky, Cleveland fans especially can’t feel comfortable testing Bauer or Tomlin’s limits.

It’s a tough ask, but the Indians need another strong, lengthy outing from their ace to stay in the driver’s seat.

Cubs: Keep Short Leash on John Lackey

Cubs manager Joe Maddon, meanwhile, faces different circumstances. They have won both of Lackey’s starts this October, but Maddon yanked the 38-year-old after four shaky innings each time.

Maddon‘s last hook particularly irked the veteran, who entered the fifth inning nursing a 5-0 lead. The skipper removed him with a pitch count of 72 for southpaw Mike Montgomery after putting two men on board.

The always animated Lackey was caught uttering, “You’ve got to be (bleeping) kidding me.” Per CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney, Maddon stood by his choice:

You have to understand I’m dealing with some really highly-charged personalities here, guys that have been there, done that. They’re good and they’re very proud men, so I respect and understand all of that. But at the end of the day, it’s about more than just one person here and what we’re trying to get done.

You have to make some tough decisions and not everybody’s going to like them all the time. But in the moment, I thought it was the right thing to do, and so we did it.

Chicago doesn’t have Miller and Allen, but former starters Montgomery and Travis Wood can provide length if needed. If Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon can shake off some rough appearances, all the better.

Per Baseball-Reference.com, Lackey has relinquished a .286/.341/.459 slash line from pitches 76-100. Like most starters, his career efficacy wanes each time passing through the batting order:

Changing locations to Wrigley Field could also force Maddon‘s hand to pinch hit for him early, especially if Kluber stifles Chicago’s offense. Lackey may curse, but the Cubs are concerned with breaking a far more powerful championship spell.

Both Teams: Maximize Defense, Bench

Moving to a National League ballpark created difficult dilemmas for both squads. While Chicago thought better of starting Kyle Schwarber in left field, Cleveland made the bold decision to play Carlos Santana in left field Friday night.

Since Kluber is starting, Francona might have second thoughts about utilizing someone who hadn’t played in the outfield since 2012. Run prevention is the main goal for Game 4, even if it means benching Mike Napoli so Santana can man first base.

Besides, Napoli is batting .153 (20-for-131) since Sept. 1. In Game 3, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a ninth-inning error that would have lived in infamy if the Cubs won. Benching him doesn’t mean he can’t make an impact, as it gives Cleveland a dangerous pinch-hitting power threat.

NL rules also ensure Rajai Davis will get involved. Whether to hit, run or field, he’ll spell Coco Crisp or Tyler Naquin later in the game. Yet given Naquin‘s struggles (4-for-20, 11 strikeouts), Francona should consider starting the veteran despite not having the platoon advantage against the right-handed Lackey.

As for the Cubs, Schwarber suddenly represents a valuable luxury off the bench. An aggressive Maddon will take out Lackey early if he needs the bat, so plenty of opportunities should arise for the returning slugger to continue his comeback tale.

Albert Almora and Chris Coghlan are both hitless this postseason, so Chicago hasn’t received any bench help aside from Miguel Montero’s game-winning grand slam in Game 1 of the NLCS over the Los Angeles Dodgers. That was the backup catcher’s early playoff hit.

No designated hitter robs everyone of a Schwarber start, but Maddon must pick his spot carefully to find a high-leverage pinch-hitting opportunity. In a potentially low-scoring affair, one swing could alter the game and series entirely. 

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Wrigley Field will host its first World Series game since 1945 when the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians square off Friday night with the Fall Classic knotted at one game apiece. If the National League Championship Series was any indication, the atmosphere should be electric.  

“Tomorrow’s going to be unbelievable,” Indians first baseman Mike Napoli said Thursday, according to the Associated Press’ Jay Cohen. “I watched when they clinched to go to the World Series and how crazy it was and seeing the fans in the streets where they had to have police escorts. You could just see the crowd just part ways.”

With excitement building and the Windy City ready to party if the Cubs take a 2-1 lead behind starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, here’s a look at when and where you can catch all the action: 

What They’re Saying Before Game 3

Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-7 with a double and two RBI as a designated hitter in Games 1 and 2, but his role will be reduced now that the series has shifted back to Chicago. 

With the designated hitter out of play, the Cubs determined Thursday that Schwarber would not be able to play the field after he tore two ligaments in his left knee just six months ago. 

As a result, he’ll be relegated to pinch-hit duty.  

“This is not disappointing at all,” Schwarber said, per the Chicago Tribune’s Mark Gonzales. “It was a long shot at the most. Obviously, I want to be out there for my teammates. It’s the competitor inside me. But facts are facts. I just can’t physically do it. I’ll be ready during the game to pinch hit.”

And according to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, it would be too risky for Schwarber to start in the outfield based on the severity of the injury he’s recovering from. 

“Medically, the doctors were very convicted there was too much risk in playing the outfield because of the dynamic actions involved, the instantaneous reactions, the need to cut in the outfield, the dynamic athletic moments that are unanticipated in the outfield,” he said, according to Gonzales. 

With Schwarber out of the starting lineup, Indians starter Josh Tomlin will attempt to tame a Cubs team that rattled off nine hits and chased starter Trevor Bauer from Game 2 after 3.2 innings. 

Take it from Indians manager Terry Francona, though: Tomlin doesn’t figure to be fazed by the size of the stage. 

“You talk about his demeanor, attitude or whatever,” Francona said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Toni Ginnetti. “I just think he’s built to pitch good all the time. I think when you get challenged, like [Friday] is going to be an incredible atmosphere, it feels good to send him to the mound.”

The Indians are 2-0 in Tomlin’s starts this postseason, and his cumulative 2.53 ERA against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays suggests he’ll be able to find success even though he’ll take the mound in a hostile environment. 

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