This is the 32nd deciding game in World Series history which seems remarkable only if you don’t think the 2 best teams always advance (and they don’t, another way of looking at the same statistics is that flukes and mismatches are the norm, representing almost 70% of all cases).
Baseball fans tend to be numbers fans also because there are just so many of them. They pretend it’s an indicator of rationality and predictability but these very same people will then turn their Caps inside out if their team is behind; refuse to bathe, shave, or wash their clothes; or believe in goat curses.
Honey, I hate to say it, but what you smell is you. Get a shower and brush your teeth why not. The reason they call it ‘Magical’ thinking is that there is no cause and effect that connects your ‘Good Luck Socks’ to what happens between the foul lines.
In this game however, the past is the future as each team has made some critical compromises to arrive at this point. Sure, Corey Kluber is a future Hall of Famer but is the 6th time the charm or is 30+ Innings (12 in this Series) more than enough? The Indians have a Bullpen too.
On the Cubs side Hendricks is a lot fresher, but has a lot of No Decisions and as many Losses as Wins. Sure his ERA is 0.00, but it’s based on 4 Innings and doesn’t include 6 scattered Hits. I don’t think he looks all that overpowering though the numbers say different. Chapman is the next Rivera, you heard it here first, but can he come back after last night’s work?
Well the answer is yes. He came in in the 7th but left in the 9th and he didn’t throw an unusually high number of pitches. Just another day at the Ball Park for him regardless of what the announcers say. The rest of the Bullpen ain’t much, but they have a bunch of lightly used starters who’ll be playing golf tomorrow win or lose.
So, we shall see. I won’t tell you I’m rooting for the club with the 108 year drought because of Bill Murray but it’s true enough and we shall see.
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Vent Hole
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First Pitch Strike
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Solo Shot. Cubs 1 – 0
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Infield Single
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Fly Out. 1 Gone
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Another Fly. 2 Out
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Steal
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Bottom 1st
Not a discouraging start!
The Game so far
The Top of the 1st with Corey Kluber pitching for Cleveland
The first pitch to Fowler was a strike, on pitch #4 he hit a lead off Home Run
Kyle Scwarber singles;
Kris Bryant flies out to right field
Anthony Rizzo flies out to center. 2 outs
Scwarber steals 2nd
Corey Zobrist flies out to center to retire the side
Cubs 1 – Cleveland 0
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First Pitch Fly Out
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KO. Out 2
Bottom of the 1st Kyle Hendricks pitching for the Cubs
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Throwing Error. 1 On
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Force. Top 2nd
Carlos Santana flies out to right
Jason Kipnis struck out 2 outs
Francisco Lindor to first on throwing error
Napoli grounds out to end the 1st ining
Cubs 1 – Cleveland 0
Top of the 2nd Inning: Corey Kluber pitching for Cleveland
Addison Russell pop fly to left.
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Pop. 1
Willson Contreras flies out to left. 2 outs
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Foul. 2
Jason Heyward flies out to center to retire the side
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Bottom 2nd
Bottom of the 2nd. Kyle Hendricks pitching for the Cubs
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A Leadoff Error
Jose Ramirez singles on a line drive
Ramirez picked off at 1st
Lonnie Chisenhall singles o a liine drive to left
Rajai Davis grounded into a double play to end the 2nd inning
Cubs – Cleveland o
Top of the 3rd. Corey Kluber pitching for Cleveland
Javier Baez flies out to left
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Long Fly. 1
Dexter Fowler flies out to right. 2 out
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Another. 2
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Out going for 2nd. Bottom 3rd
Kyle Schwarber singles on a line to left, out at 2nd to retire the side
Bottom of the 3rd. Kyle Kendricks pitching for the Cubs
Coco Crisp lead off double
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Leadoff Double
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Sacrifice Bunt
Roberto Perez bunts, out at 1st. Crisp to 3rd
Carlos Santana singles to left. Crisp scores to tie the game
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RBI Single. Tied at 1
Jason Kipnis singles on a ground ball, Santana safe at 2nd with 1 out
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Error. 2 On 1 Out
Lindor flies out to left. Runners hold 2 outs
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Big Fly Out. 2 Done
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Top 4th
Napoli lines out to end the 3rd inning
Cubs 1 – Cleveland 1
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