FINAL: Indians defeat Cubs 7-2, take 3-1 lead in World Series

SHARE FINAL: Indians defeat Cubs 7-2, take 3-1 lead in World Series
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Jason Kipnis celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the seventh inning. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The Cubs are in deep trouble in the World Series.

A convincing 7-2 victory by the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 Saturday night at Wrigley Field has put them in a 3-1 hole in the Fall Classic, leaving the Indians one victory away from clinching their first title since 1948.

The Cubs need three straight victories to win their first championship since 1908.

Game 5 is Sunday night (7:08 p.m.) at Wrigley Field with Jon Lester pitching against the Indians’ Trevor Bauer.

Corey Kluber made his second excellent start of the series with six innings of one-run ball, and Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis homered for the AL Central champions. Santana homered in the second against John Lackey and Kipnis went deep against left-hander Travis Wood in the seventh to make it 7-1.

One night after losing 1-0 in Game 3, the Cubs were held to seven hits.

Cubs starter John Lackey gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings. One of the runs came in the second inning, when third baseman Kris Bryant made two errors after Santana’s homer to produce an unearned run.

Dexter Fowler’s solo homer in the eighth stopped left-hander Andrew Miller’s consecutive postseason scoreless innings streak at 24 1/3 innings.

Cubs ninth: Dan Otero is out to start the ninth for the Indians. The Cubs, staring at a 3-1 series deficit, need five to tie. Contreras, Russell and Heyward due up for Cubs.

Indians ninth: The Indians get two runners on but do not score against Hector Rondon.

Cubs eighth: Dexter Fowler leads off with a solo homer to left-center field against Andrew Miller, his second of the postseason and the first run allowed by Miller all postseason after 24 1/3 scoreless innings.

Miller then gets Kris Bryant on a grounder to shortstop, strikes out Anthony Rizzo and strikes out Ben Zobrist.

Indians eighth: Hector Rondon is on to pitch for the Cubs. The Indians go down in order.

Cubs seventh: Andrew Miller has entered to pitch for the Indians, who lead by six runs. Vince Vaughn sings “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.”

“Let’s get some runs, Chicago! Let’s do this,” Vince says.

Gonna need six.

Cubs don’t get any, going down in order.

Indians seventh: Jason Kipnis hits three-run homer against Travis Wood, and the Indians have blown it open. Corey Kluber was due to lead off but was lifted for pinch-hitter Coco Crisp, who leads off with a double against Justin Grimm. Rajai Davis reached on a hit-by-pitch.

Kipnis, the Northbrook native who grew up watching the Cubs, connected on a 3-1 fastball.

Here’s Kluber’s second excellent pitching line of the World Series: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. Threw 81 pitches, 58 for strikes.

<em>Roberto Perez and Corey Kluber (right) had another good night against the Cubs in Game 4 of the World Series. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)</em>

Roberto Perez and Corey Kluber (right) had another good night against the Cubs in Game 4 of the World Series. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Cubs sixth: They are down to their last 12 outs, with Andrew Miller warming in the Indians bullpen. Anthony Rizzo doubles off the left-field wall, Brandon Guyer crashing his back into the vines, to open the inning.

But Ben Zobrist is retired on an unproductive out, a fly ball to short left, and Willson Contreras strikes out on three pitches, chasing breaking balls out of the strike zone before Addison Russell grounds out softly to third.

The Cubs are in trouble.

Indians sixth: Mike Montgomery now pitching for the Cubs. He walks Francisco Lindor leading off the inning, and he eventually scores on a sacrifice fly by Lonnie Chisenhall. Lindor got to second on Carlos Santana’s liner that knocked Montgomery’s glove off his hand and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice.

Lindor was almost picked off third by catcher Willson Contreras after Chisenhall showed a safety squeeze. Contreras’ slight hesitation probably prevented him from getting Lindor.

Quiet in Wrigley Field now.

Standing up:

<em>Cleveland Indians players hold up stand up to cancer signs during the fifth inning. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)</em>

Cleveland Indians players hold up stand up to cancer signs during the fifth inning. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Cubs fifth: Chris Coghlan pinch hits for Lackey leading off against Corey Kluber and flies out to left. Dexter Fowler flies out deep to right and Kris Bryant grounds to short in a quick inning.

Fowler’s deep fly, like Ben Zobrist’s in the first, was knocked down by the wind.

Lackey’s line: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 Ks, 1 BB.

Indians fifth: The Cubs will have to come back against Corey Kluber and the Indians’ strong bullpen to avoid falling behind three games to one in the World Series.

John Lackey has retired the last eight Indians in order after getting Kluber, Davis and Kipnis in a quick inning. It’s Lackey’s last inning of the night.

Cubs fourth: As Corey Kluber takes the mound, shutdown lefty Andrew Miller begins to get loose in the Indians bullpen. That is an ominous sight for Cubs fans. As good as Kluber has been, Miller has been even better, unscored upon in the postseason. Miller is stretching, not throwing.

The Indians don’t need Miller. Jason Heyward, with his second hit of the night, a sharp single off the glove of shortstop Francisco Lindor, gives the Cubs a runner with two outs but Javy Baez strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Baez was co-MVP of the NLCS but his bat has disappeared in the World Series.

Indians fourth: Lonnie Chisenhall, Roberto Perez, Tyler Naquin go down in order, Naquin striking out to end the inning.

Cubs third: Joe Maddon has a talk with umpire Marvin Hudson between innings. Lackey stays in the game, hitting for himself. It’s a somewhat surprising decision that manager Joe Maddon will be asked about.

After Lackey strikes out looking and Dexter Fowler grounds out, the Cubs threaten when Kris Bryant walks and Anthony Rizzo gets hit on the right elbow. That one hurt.

For the Cubs, so does Ben Zobrist’s at-bat, which results in a strikeout. Zobrist has been the Cubs’ toughest out this series.

Indians third: Jason Kipnis lines a double into right-field corner to lead off and scores on Francisco Lindor’s single to center. It’s 3-1, and while it’s early, the Cubs are in danger of falling behind 3-1 in the World Series as well.

Lackey thought he had Lindor struck out on the previous pitch but didn’t get the call. After he backs up home on the RBI single, Lackey gets in Hudson’s ear.

Lackey has allowed 14 hits, six walks and seven earned runs in 10 postseason innings, and Mike Montgomery is now warming up in the Cubs bullpen. Lackey is due to lead off in the bottom of the inning.

Cubs second: Jason Heyward singles with one out but Javy Baez hits the first pitch to third base for an inning ending double play. First base ump Tony Randazzo’s safe call was challenged and overturned.

Indians second: Carlos Santana leads off with a deep homer to right, on a 3-2 fastball from John Lackey. And then two throwing errors on third baseman Kris Bryant lead to a second Indians run. It’s 2-1 Tribe, and some air is taken out of the Wrigley Field crowd.

With one out, Bryant made a nice stop to his glove side on Lonnie Chisenhall’s ground ball. With two outs and Chisenhall on second, Tyler Naquin was intentionally walked to bring up Corey Kluber. The pitcher hit a weak tap toward Bryant, whose throw to first to a stretching Anthony Rizzo went off his glove, allowing Chisenhall to score from second.

<em>Anthony Rizzo can’t catch Kris Bryant’s throw as Corey Kluber reaches first base for a single. Bryant was charged with an error, allowing the Indians’s second run to score. (Getty Images)</em>

Anthony Rizzo can’t catch Kris Bryant’s throw as Corey Kluber reaches first base for a single. Bryant was charged with an error, allowing the Indians’s second run to score. (Getty Images)

In typical Lackey form, he is unhappy with umpire Marvin Hudson’s strike zone and the Cubs’ defense. Lackey doesn’t hide his feelings.

<em>Carlos Santana connects on a 3-2 fastball for a home run. (Getty Images)</em>

Carlos Santana connects on a 3-2 fastball for a home run. (Getty Images)

Cubs first: Anthony Rizzo drives in the first run of the game with a single to center, scoring Dexter Fowler from second. Fowler led off with a double on a soft fly to short left. Rajai Davis’ diving attempt toward the line is a good one, but he came up a little short.

The run is the first allowed in the World Series by Kluber, who blanked the Cubs over six innings in Game 1 in Cleveland.

“Kluuu-ber,” chant the Cubs fans.

<em>Anthony Rizzo celebrates with first base coach Brandon Hyde after driving in the Cubs’ first run in the first ining. (Getty Images)</em>

Anthony Rizzo celebrates with first base coach Brandon Hyde after driving in the Cubs’ first run in the first ining. (Getty Images)

After Rizzo’s single, Ben Zobrist flies out to deep center. The wind, at 7 mph and blowing in, knocks that one down. In Game 3 Friday, the wind was blowing out. Rizzo steals second with two outs, but Willson Contreras strikes out to end the inning.

Indians first: Rajai Davis grounds out to third, Jason Kipnis strikes out swinging and Francisco Lindor  strikes out against John Lackey. A perfect start for the veteran, World Series tested right-hander.

Corey Kluber heads to the mound for the Indians.

Game time temperature is 59 degrees. Winds are from the northeast at 7 mph.

Lineup: Jason Heyward made his first start. The Cubs’ $184 million right fielder, who did not start in Games 1, 2 and 3 and the series-clinching win in the NLCS after struggling during the regular season and in the first two rounds of the playoffs, batted seventh against Indians ace Corey Kluber.

Manager Joe Maddon said he went with Heyward because of his outfield defense behind starting right-hander John Lackey. Heyward pinch hit and reached on an error by Mike Napoli in the ninth inning in the Cubs’ 1-0 loss in Game 3 Friday.

Heyward is 2-for-31 with one RBI in the postseason. Jorge Soler, who had two hits including a triple on a wind-blown fly ball in Game 3 but is not as sound defensively as Heyward, is back on the bench.

Napoli, the Indians cleanup hitter who has struggled of late, is out of manager Terry Francona’s lineup. Carlos Santana is playing first base.

Cubs lineup:

Dexter Fowler CF

Kris Bryant 3B

Anthony Rizzo 1B

Ben Zobrist LF

Willson Contreras C

Addison Russell SS

Jason Heyward RF

Javy Baez 2B

John Lackey P

Dexter Fowler CF

Kris Bryant 3B

Anthony Rizzo 1B

Ben Zobrist LF

Willson Contreras C

Addison Russell SS

Jason Heyward RF

Javy Baez 2B

John Lackey P

Indians:

Rajai Davis LF

Jason Kipnis 2B

Franciscor Lindor SS

Carlos Santana 1B

Jose Ramirez 3B

Lonnie Chisenhall RF

Roberto Perez C

Tyler Naquin CF

Corey Kluber P

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