Ok, here’ s why getting the split away during the 1st 2 games of a 7 game Series is important- it’s not that Home Field advantage (they only have 2 left and you have 3) passes to you, or even that you really expect to get a close out sweep (though it’s certainly possible even if it’s a tad inconvenient from a crowd control standpoint). Nope. It’s that you’ve proven that you can win at your opponent’s Ballpark and they haven’t… yet.
Now normally for the Senior League team this is really important because you have the added benefit of forcing your Junior League competition to bat their Pitcher who’s usually pretty terrible at it (why do you think he’s in the Junior League?) and hasn’t practiced all year. Also most Junior League teams keep around an elderly former “star” who once could actually play Baseball but is now too creaky even to hit let alone field and draws down a huge multi-year contract that keeps you from signing anyone talented just to put butts in the seats during your 162 game mausoleum freak show tour.
If I want to see dead people walking I’ll scope out the smoking lounge at a funeral parlor. You think I’m creepy? Well, I don’t do it as often as I used to- restraining orders.
This year however is kind of a Mirror, Mirror Trek where the Indians play small Ball (put runners on base and score them) and the Cubbies have the big… well, clubs.
And it bites them in the ass today and probably for the rest of their stay at the friendly confines of Wrigley since they have decided that Kyle Schwarber who has just came back from a torn knee in Game 2 of the World Series after leaving the field on April 7th is too fragile for the Outfield. This is unfortunate for the Cubs as his 2 RBIs represent 1/3rd of their entire run production this Series.
Still, the Indians only have the one pitcher, Kluber, and the Cubs have 3 including tonight’s starter Hendricks who has only 1 Win, 1 Loss and a No Decision with a 1.65 ERA. On paper Tomlin is a match with 2 Victories, but his ERA is an unspectacular 2.53 and he’s never stayed in for a 6 full Innings. That would mean more if we hadn’t had a travel day yesterday, still the wear and tear on the Indians Bullpen and Starters has got to factor in at some point if it didn’t already start to in Game 2.
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Kyle Hendricks grounds out
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Ground Out. 1
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Another. 2
Fowler lined out to right to end the 3rd inning
No score
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Top 4th
Top of the 4th inning: Kyle Hendricks pitching for the Cubs
Lindor lead off single
Napoli struck out. Strike out 5 for Hendricks
Ramirez singles; Lindor to 2nd
Chisenhall singles: Ramirez out at 2nd; Lindor to 3rd
Perez struck out to end the top 4th inning
No score
Bottom of the 4th Inning: Josh Tomlin pitching for Cleveland
Bryant lead off walk
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Worked out a Walk
Rizzo fouls out
Zobe!
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Foul Pop. 1
Zobrist grounds into a double play
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Force. 2
Contreras flies out to center
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Top 5th
End of the 4th No Score
Top of the 5th: Kyle Hendricks pitching for the Cubs
Naquin lead of single
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Leadoff Single, ugh.
Tomlin sacrifice bunts out; Naquin to 2nd
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Sacrifice. Runner on 2nd
Santana walked. 2 on; 1 out
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Another Walk. 2 On 1 Out
Kipnis walked to load the bases with 1 out
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Walk. Loaded. 1 Out
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And… a Pitching Change
Cubs Pitching change: Justin Grimm in for Hendricks
Lindor grounds into a double play to end the top of the 5th
No score
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Double Play. Bottom 5th
That looked like it hurt the first baseman’s hand.
Bottom of the 5th: Josh Tomlin pitching for Cleveland
Soler lead of single
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`A nice single. Yay!
Baez grounds out; Soler to 2nd
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Sacrifice. 1 Done
Russell grounds out;
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Gound Out. No advance
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Tomlin rides the pine
Cleveland Pitching change: Andrew Miller in for Tomlin
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Top 6th
Miguel Montero hitting for Grimm, flies out to right field to end the 5th inning
No Score
Top of the 6th: Carl Edwards pitching for the Cubs
Napoli grounds out
Ramirez pops out
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