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October 26, 2016Win or lose, it’s good to be Cleveland: While We’re Waiting
October 27, 2016The Cleveland Indians are going to have to overcome some game outcome adversity for the first time in the 2016 postseason. The team has proven capable of pushing through any obstacle that has come their way in terms of injuries, but no team has been able to shorten a series until the Chicago Cubs made the World Series a best-of-5 by defeating the Tribe on Wednesday, 5-1. The next three games are in Chicago, so the Indians are going to have to go on the road and steal at least one to bring the series back to Progressive Field next week.
Wednesday’s game was moved up to avoid some late night Cleveland showers, and the team appeared to not have been notified of the time change. The Indians have been sharp on defense the entire month of October, but several gaffes led to Chicago runs throughout the game. Starting pitcher Trevor Bauer also did not look sharp either. Whether it was the cold temperatures, his recovering pinky finger, or just the general wildness that has plagued his young career at times, Bauer could not locate his pitches for strikes.
The Indians were not going to breeze their way through the entire postseason. So, it is time for them to regroup and come out ready to start Game 3 as a new set. But, here is how the Cubs were able to tie things up.
Gifting the Cubs runs is no way to win a game
Though Bauer was all over the map, the defense did him few favors. Lonnie Chisenhall allowed a run to score in the first inning when Anthony Rizzo hit a double to right field and Chis threw the ball to second rather than remembering that Kris Bryant was ahead of him and headed to the plate. Chisenhall helped make up for it with a great play to steal a RBI hit from Russell in the second, but it was 1-0 Cubs after one.
Bauer had Rizzo down 0-2 in the count with two outs and no one on base in the third. He somehow walks him, then gives up hits to both Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber, which allows Rizzo to come on home. 2-0 Cubs after two.
The fifth was just a cluster with Zach McAllister on the bump. Zobrist hits a line drive to right field and Chisenhall eats it on the wet grass, which gives him a triple, scoring Rizzo from first (on base from a walk). Schwarber singles, scoring Zobrist since he was on third. Now, two outs in the inning and the ball hit right to Kipnis, which he botches. Soler walks. Russell walks – oh, that plated another run. 5-0 Cubs after five.
Zobrist +
Schwarber +
Russell.HUGE RBIs in the 5th for the @Cubs. pic.twitter.com/MjOQF3CKKt
— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2016
Kipnis had another error in 7th on back-flip from Lindor after he made an incredible ranging play to his left, but at least no runs scored on the second error Kipnis had on Wednesday.
Pitchers gone wild
Trevor Bauer was not throwing strikes. The Cubs hitters are more than happy to watch a pitcher throw ball after ball. They did so and walked eight times, many of which led to runs. Andrew Miller had the same issue in Game 1. So, the Indians pitching coaches should have the scouting report now. Throw strikes. If the Cubs prefer to watch the game of baseball than play it, then put them behind in the count. Otherwise, they will continue to hurt the Tribe pitchers.
The one item of good news to come out of Game 2 from a pitching standpoint is that Danny Salazar made an appearance and was throwing 97 miles per hour. His stuff wasn’t particularly electric, but it was good to see he can be utilized moving forward.
Offense? Who needs offense?
Jake Arrietta had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 IP though he was not sharp early. But, like the Cubs w/ Miller the night before, the Tribe bats couldn’t take advantage. Then, heArrietta settled in, found his control, and the Indians never had a chance.
.@JArrieta34 settled in quickly – and it was #filthy.
#WorldSeries pres. by @TMobile https://t.co/kor5moYLm5— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2016
Kipnis did help save face for the team by breaking up the no-hit bid and also ending the shutout attempt. That he scored on a wild pitch showed that the mistakes the Cubs were making hurt them too. They just made less of them in Game 2.
Nobody wants to be no-hit in October.
Everybody wants to start a comeback. pic.twitter.com/z2juNCFqnO
— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2016
Chapman Issue
Abraham Almonte is ineligible despite serving his PED time, but Aroldis Chapman can play. A fan wearing feathers or a headdress is publicly shamed, but game announcers completely ignore the elephant in the room of the alleged domestic violence perpetrator on the mound. Chapman was lauded through the night by both the broadcast team and the MLB official social media presense with a particular love for his high velocity. That’s just umm; something.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/791479660009836544
Panic?
No. The pasted the Cubs in Game 1. The Cubs returned the favor to the Indians in Game 2. It’s a five-game set now though the Cubs earned home field advantage (and three straight at Wrigley to boot). Having the strike-throwing Josh Tomlin on the mound with his variety of offspeed pitches does play against the Cubs hitting advantages. If the Indians clean up the defense and make some better contact, they should be fine. If not, then the Tribe doesn’t deserve to win.
We’ll be fine. Go Tribe.
106 Comments
Sorry, I did not realize that Justin Timberlake was associated with the team.
I would trade Care Bear for Justin Timberlake.
C,mon, you know which LT we’re talking about…
https://i.makeagif.com/media/11-15-2015/KGtjCy.gif
On Schwarber- if they aren’t going to play him in the field, I’d not wait too long to pinch hit him, since they need a lead by the 5th inning or so. But that’s none of my business (sips tea).
LT or JT? Was that a Freudian slip or a typo?
My favorite RB of all time is confused…
https://youtu.be/lSMb6Tnd-q0
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5568a101cfcc440a4fe793b61d19b8896b4d73c5fcc82beff3ecd0f747366ce0.gif