It’s up to Jon Lester.
Like Jake Arrieta in the 2015 Wild Card Game (success), Rich Harden in the 2008 NLDS (fail), Rich Hill in the 2007 NLDS (fail), Kerry Wood in the 2003 NLCS (fail) and Rick Sutcliffe in Game 5 of the 1984 NLCS (fail), Lester finds himself shouldering a backs-to-the-well Cubs postseason elimination game.
Aside from Sutcliffe’s, perhaps – that one against the Padres in the deciding game had a trip to the World Series on the line – this is the biggest one of them all in modern Cubs history. Lose, and their season is finished with a 4-1 World Series dud against the underdog Cleveland Indians. Win, and the Fall Classic returns to Progressive Field with the Cubs trailing 3-2 with Arrieta and NL ERA leader Kyle Hendricks in place to keep the Cubs’ world championship dreams alive.
“If we get through [Sunday], going back over there [to Cleveland] having those guys ready to pitch … based on what we have left pitching wise compared to those guys, I really like our chances,’’ manager Joe Maddon said.
So a lot falls on Lester, signed to a $155 million contract in December of 2014 for moments like these, wasn’t exactly lights out in the Indians’ 6-0 victory in Game 1.
In this postseason, Lester’s ERA is 1.69. In all postseasons, he’s 8-7 with a 2.60 ERA in 20 appearances, including 18 starts. So he’s pretty good at this.
The Indians did get him, though, for three runs on six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings in Game 1, a 6-0 Cubs loss. After retiring the first two Indians in the first, Lester allowed a single, stolen base, two walks, a dribbler for an infield single and a hit-by-pitch on an 0-2 count. Two runs that quickly, and with Kluber pitching, the Cubs were essentially done.
“The first inning,’’ Lester said Saturday. “That was the game.”
The Indians know of Lester’s problems holding runners, so look for them exploit them more this time after Francisco Lindor attempted two steals (one successfully in the first inning – he would also score) in the first three innings in Game 1. David Ross will be catching, manager Joe Maddon said.
Lester says he’ll approach Game 5 like any other.
“If you’re down 3-1 and you’re going in there saying you have to do this or do that to try to stay alive, you’ve kind of already been beaten, you know?’’ he said.
