Lester, Chapman Keep Cubs Alive

Willson Contreras congratulates Aroldis Chapman after the lefthander closed out Sunday’s win (Photo by Mike Janes)

CHICAGO—The Cubs made no attempt to downplay the importance of Game Five of the World Series.

No “business as usual” talk. No “it’s just another game” chatter. The Cubs were desperate for the franchise’s first World Series win at Wrigley Field since 1945, desperate to make their 103 regular season wins mean something, desperate to keep their season and their dreams alive.

“It’s all or nothing,” center fielder Dexter Fowler said. “From the beginning it’s been ‘Playing at home, we have to get at least one of them.’”

They channeled that desperation into their play, into their decisions, and thus live to fight another day.

Jon Lester started with six strong innings, Aroldis Chapman finished with 2 2/3 scoreless ones, and the Cubs held off the Indians 3-2 in Game Five on Sunday night to stave off elimination.

The Indians still hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and will try to wrap up their first World Series title since 1948 in Game Six on Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Cubs, meanwhile, are alive for at least one more game as they seek to end their 108-year title drought.

“We’re fired up,” catcher Willson Contreras said. “Tuesday out there, we’re going to play our best baseball.”

Chapman’s presence went a long way toward firing his team up. The flame-throwing closer entered with one out in the seventh inning and the Cubs nursing their 3-2 lead, as a aggressive a move made so far by manager Joe Maddon, who’s sense of urgency in the Series has been called into question.

“I talked to Chapman before the game,” Maddon said. “He was aware of being ready in the seventh inning.”

Clearly, Chapman was ready. He threw 42 pitches, his season high and two short of his career high. He stranded the tying run in scoring position in both the seventh and eighth innings, finishing the frames with strikeouts to visibly take the wind out of the Indians sails.

His final three pitches of the game were fastballs at 100.7 mph, 100.9 mph, and 101 mph, all strikes, to punch out Jose Ramirez for the final out in the ninth and send the ear-splitting, sold-out home crowd into delirium.

“I physically prepared myself to come in as early as possible,” Chapman said through a translator. “And well, things came out the way they came out and I was ready to come in at a moment’s notice. I’m always prepared for the ninth inning. That’s my job. I understand that, but I always appreciate it they let me know that I’m going to pitch more than the ninth inning. That’s fine with me.”

Maddon was in position to bring Chapman in so aggressively because of Lester and a finally effective offense. Lester surrendered a solo home run to Ramirez to open the scoring in the second, but kept the lead after his offense gave it back to him and allowed only four hits in six innings.

The previously dormant Cubs offense gave him and the bullpen all the run support they would need with three runs in the third inning off Indians starter Trevor Bauer. Kris Bryant led off with a home run to tie the game at one, Anthony Rizzo followed with a screaming double to right to keep the crowd on their feet, Ben Zobrist singled and Addison Russell’s dribbler to third went for an infield single to score Rizzo and give the Cubs the lead.

David Ross’ sacrifice fly made it 3-1 Cubs by the time the inning was out, more runs than they had scored in their previous two games combined.

“Their guy was kind of cruising a little bit through the first three, so it was nice to kind of have a big inning there, kind of get us going a little bit,” Bryant said. “I felt like our at-bats after that inning were just as good. So that’s a good sign for us.”

Even though Chicago couldn’t add on, that slim edge was enough.

Lester held off multiple Indians rallies, as did Chapman after he replaced Carl Edwards in the seventh. All in all Chapman struck out four and gave up only one hit in the longest outing of his MLB career. It was also his first World Series save.

“Chapman, that was a big ask and he answered,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That was impressive.”

The Cubs were desperate, put their best players out there to preserve their precarious lead, and they all, in fact, answered.

“The boys came out, got some key hits, got some runs, Lester pitched well, the bullpen came in and did their job; it was awesome,” Fowler said. “We still have some work to do, but it was a step in the right direction. Our blood pressure was high and it’s going to stay high. It probably won’t be low until the end of the Series.”