Preview: Cubs at Indians
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[November 02, 2016]
A longstanding drought will end
for either the Chicago Cubs or Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night
while the other team will be flooded with heartbreak. The visiting
Cubs forced a decisive Game 7 with Tuesday’s 9-3 victory and are
aiming to win their first World Series title since 1908 while the
Indians are trying to break a rut that dates back to 1948.
Chicago recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the last two games but
has yet to solve Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, who is looking to
become the first starting pitcher since Detroit’s Mickey Lolich in
1968 to record three victories in a single World Series. Chicago
shortstop Addison Russell (age 22) is coming off his own sterling
performance as he became the second youngest player to hit a grand
slam (behind New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle) and matched the
Series record of six RBIs – tying Yankees Bobby Richardson (1960),
Hideki Matsui (2009) and former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert
Pujols (2011). “We’ve been doing this all year, putting new history
in history books and you wouldn’t be able to tell that,” Russell
told reporters afterward. The one-sided affair allows the Indians to
have stellar left-hander Andrew Miller (0.53 ERA, 29 strikeouts in
17 postseason innings in 2016) and right-handed closer Cody Allen
(22 strikeouts in 11 2/3 scoreless innings in 2016) rested for Game
7 while Cubs left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman pitched 1 1/3
innings on Tuesday despite the margin.
TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 1.31 ERA) vs. Indians
RH Corey Kluber (4-1, 0.89)
Hendricks, who won 16 regular-season games, took a no-decision in
Game 3 of the World Series when he allowed six hits and two walks in
4 1/3 scoreless innings. The 26-year-old is ecstatic to have the
opportunity to help the Cubs end their 108-year title drought.
“Exactly, this is the ultimate dream. You dream of getting to the
World Series, winning the World Series,” Hendricks told reporters at
a press conference. “When you’re out in your backyard as a kid,
playing Little League at the field with your friends, this is the
moment you dream about. … It’s always Game 7 of the World Series.”
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Kluber has struck out 15 in 12 innings during the World Series while
allowing just one run in his two victories. He has repeatedly had
his best stuff during the postseason despite regularly pitching on
short rest and manager Terry Francona has been impressed that the
2014 American League Cy Young Award winner has remained sharp. “I
wouldn’t want to do this all year, in fairness to him,” Francona
told reporters at a press conference. “But I think for a couple
starts, I think he can handle it just fine.”
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant went 4-for-5 in Game 6 and homered for the
second straight game while 1B Anthony Rizzo also had a homer among
three hits.
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2. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis, who grew up in the Chicago area, had
three hits and a homer in two of the past three games.
3. Chicago OF Kyle Schwarber will again serve as the DH and is
batting .333 in the World Series despite missing the previous
six-plus months due to knee surgery.
PREDICTION: Indians 4, Cubs 3
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