CLEVELAND — Kyle Hendricks was up in the zone.
And before you knew it, Jon Lester — maybe sooner than he needed to be — was up and pitching out of the bullpen.
Thanks, Lester said after the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings to win Game 7 of the World Series at Progressive Field, but leave me out of this next time.
The postgame celebration?
Count me in on those, Lester said.
Pitching in relief? That’s a different story.
“I’ve always had lot of respect for bullpen guys.’’ Lester said. “I know how many times I’ve put them in sticky situations and they’ve bail us [starters] out.
“It’s definitely a situation I don’t want to be in any more. It’s tough with the crowd, and emotion. All of that.”
Emotion? Anxiety?
For the Cubs and their fans, those things were off the charts as manager Joe Maddon pulled Hendricks early and after making Lester an effective bridge to the weary Chapman, watched his closer crumble and blow a what had been a four-run lead on Rajai Davis’ tying homer in the eighth.
After Chapman, who would be in tears even though he gave Maddon a scoreless ninth after that and earned the win, Maddon was left with 25-year-old Carl Edwards Jr. for two outs in the 10th and left-hander Mike Montgomery, who retired Mike Martinez on a grounder to third to earn the first save of his life.
“How about that?’’ said Lester, who gave up two runs — one earned — over three innings. “I don’t even know what to say. I see the guys and coaches who have been through it all. And the fans, look at this place — you would think we’re at Wrigley.’’
Pitching out of the pen had an odd feeling, too. The last time he did it was in 2007 with the Boston Red Sox.
“It’s not a good feeling being down there,’’ Lester said. “You don’t know when you’re going in and when to warm up.’’
Chapman’s multiple innings tasks in the postseason was out of his comfort zone, too.
After Lester replaced Hendricks – even though the right-hander seemed to find his way during a perfect fourth after leaving his pitches up early — with two outs in the fifth inning, Lester got nine outs (he was charged with two runs, one earned) and got the ball to Chapman. That’s when temporary disaster ensued, and Maddon may have found himself wishing he had stayed with Hendricks a bit longer. Hendricks was, after all, going strong when he got pulled.
“I mean, Chappy, he’s our guy in that moment,’’ Maddon said. “We narrowed it down to four outs.
“The Cubs beat up on [Indians relief specialist Andrew] Miller tonight and got to their other guys because the Cubs are good. The Indians beat up on Chapman because the Indians are good. So that’s part of the game.’’
Maddon, knowing he’d be second guessed, said he “thinks barroom conversations are great but sometimes people forget that both sides are good.’’
Lester handed the ball to Chapman with the Cubs leading the Indians 6-3 in the eighth inning, seemingly a winning proposition with four outs to go.
In the end, all was well and Maddon, pushing the buttons that worked out in the end, managed the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908.
“It’s incredible how this all plays out sometimes,’’ Maddon said.
“Unbelievable,’’ Lester said. “I don’t have words to tell you how I feel about this. It’s surreal.”
