Indians edge Cubs 1-0 at Wrigley Field for 2-1 Series lead

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Allen, Andrew Miller and the Cleveland Indians' nasty bullpen shut down a Wrigley Field party 71 years in the making.

Allen escaped a ninth-inning jam and the Indians pitched their fifth shutout this postseason, holding off the Chicago Cubs 1-0 Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the World Series.

The crowd began forming beyond the ivy-covered walls in the early morning, all revved up for the first World Series game at Wrigley since 1945.

Fans were roaring after a two-out error by first baseman Mike Napoli helped Chicago put runners on second and third in the ninth. Allen silenced the neighborhood ballpark, striking out co-NL Championship Series MVP Javier Baez to end it.

Indians starter Josh Tomlin went 4 2/3 innings, then Miller, Bryan Shaw and Allen took over.

The Cubs have been blanked four times in the last eight games this postseason. It was their first 1-0 loss in the World Series since Babe Ruth and the Boston Red Sox beat them in 1918.

Game 1 winner Corey Kluber starts for Cleveland on Saturday night on three days' rest, and John Lackey goes for Chicago.

Arrieta deals, Cubs awaken, top Indians to even Series at 1

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jake Arrieta made a brief run at a no-hitter and ended another 71-year pause between celebrations for the Chicago Cubs and their faithful fans.

Not only are they back in the World Series, they've won there again.

One more drought quenched, one more to go.

Arrieta carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning, Kyle Schwarber drove in two runs and the Cubs brushed off a shutout to even the Series with their first Fall Classic win in more than seven decades, 5-1 over the Cleveland Indians in Game 2 on Wednesday night.


Arrieta, who pitched a no-hitter earlier this season, briefly invoked Don Larsen's name by flirting with one deep in October before the Indians touched him for two hits and a run. However, the right-hander helped give Chicago just what it needed — a split at Progressive Field — before the Cubbies return to their Wrigley Field den for the next three games starting Friday night.

"It's always crazy good," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said when asked how he expected things to be on the corner of Clark and Addison for Game 3. "But I'd have to imagine a little bit more than that, especially coming back at 1-1. I think the folks will be jacked up about the win tonight.

"It's the finest venue there is in professional sports and maybe in all of sports."

The Cubs hadn't won in the Series since beating Detroit 8-7 in 1945 to force a decisive Game 7, and after their latest win, hundreds of Chicago fans gathered in the pouring rain in the rows behind their first-base dugout, where they danced and sang. A few waved the familiar white and blue "W'' flags.

They hope to do it three more times.

The big-swinging Schwarber, who made it back for Chicago's long-awaited Series return after missing six months with an injured left knee, hit an RBI single in the third off Cleveland's Trevor Bauer and had another in the Cubs' three-run fifth — highlighted by Ben Zobrist's run-scoring triple.

In Game 1, Schwarber doubled and walked.

"No, it's not that easy, first off. Baseball's a crazy game," he said.

Even the presence of star LeBron James and the NBA champion Cavaliers, sporting their new rings, couldn't stop the Indians from losing for the first time in six home games this postseason.

And Cleveland manager Terry Francona's magical touch in October finally fizzled as he dropped to 9-1 in Series games.

"We gave up nine hits, eight walks, two errors, and we only gave up five runs," Francona said. "For us to win, we generally need to play a clean game, and we didn't do that."

With rain in the forecast, Major League Baseball moved the first pitch up an hour in hopes of avoiding delays or a postponement.

It turned out to be a good call as the game went on without a hitch and ended after more than four hours as light rain was beginning to fall.

Arrieta and the Cubs provided the only storm.

The bearded 30-year-old coasted through five innings without allowing a hit, and his no-hit bid was the longest in a Series game since Jerry Koosman of the New York Mets tossed six no-hit innings in 1969.

For a brief period, Arrieta looked as if he might challenge Larsen's gem — a perfect game — in 1956 before Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, a die-hard Cubs fan as a kid, doubled with one out in the sixth .

Arrieta has two career no-hitters, in fact, including the only one in the majors this year.

"I knew I hadn't given up a hit all the way to the sixth," Arrieta said. "That's really not the focus in a game like this. Whether they get a hit or not really doesn't affect the way you continue to approach that lineup, especially with a five-run lead."

Kipnis was impressed.

"We didn't get much going," he said. "You have to tip your hat to Arrieta. He was awesome."

Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery replaced Arrieta and worked two scoreless innings before Aroldis Chapman came in and unleashed his 103 mph heat while getting the last four outs in his Series debut.

The teams will have an off day before the series resumes with Game 3 at Wrigley, which will host its first Series game since 1945, when tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave with his pet goat, Murphy, and a curse was born.

Josh Tomlin will start for the Indians, who will lose the designated hitter in the NL ballpark, against Kyle Hendricks.

Schwarber might also wind up on the bench after two days as the DH. Maddon loves the way he's swinging but isn't sure he's ready to play in the outfield.

"That's something I'm waiting to hear from our guys, from our medical side, because obviously he looks good," he said. "He looks good at the plate. Running the bases he looks pretty good so far."

And the Cubs finally do, too, as they head home.

Unlike his start in Toronto on Oct. 17, when his stitched cut opened up and Bauer was forced to make a bloody departure in the first inning, his finger held up fine.

The Cubs, though, put a few nicks in him in 3 2/3 innings.

"I just wasn't sharp for whatever reason," Bauer said.

The drone accident has brought attention to the quirky Bauer, and one Chicago fan tried to rattle the right-hander by sending a smaller version of the remote-controlled, flying object that cut him.

Bauer posted a photo of it on Twitter, saying "I see the @Cubs fans love me! How nice of them to send me a gift!"

ODDS AND ENDS

Francona's nine-game winning streak was the third-longest in Series history, trailing Joe Torre (14) and Joe McCarthy (10). ... The Cubs are 7-1 this postseason when scoring first. ... The teams combined for a Series record-tying three wild pitches. ... Indians RHP Danny Salazar made his first postseason appearance since starting the 2013 AL wild-card game. ... This is the 58th time the Series has been tied 1-1. The Game 2 winner has won the title 29 times.

SHORT REST

Looking ahead, Francona has already decided he'll bring Corey Kluber back on short rest for Game 4. It wasn't much of a decision, really, after the right-hander confounded the Cubs in Game 1, painting the corners for six-plus innings.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Hendricks is coming off his brilliant performance in Game 6 of the NLCS when he pitched two-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings as the Cubs clinched their first pennant in 71 years. The right-hander led the majors with a 2.13 ERA.

Indians: It will be an emotional night for Tomlin, who will pitch on 12 days' rest with his ailing father, Jerry, in attendance. The elder Tomlin became stricken with a spinal condition in August, when the right-hander was struggling on the mound.

Kluber, Perez, Indians beat Cubs 6-0 in World Series opener

CLEVELAND (AP) — Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians are off to a pitch-perfect start in the World Series.

The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, fell completely flat in their first appearance since 1945.

Kluber dominated into the seventh inning, Roberto Perez had four RBIs with a pair of home runs and the Indians beat the Cubs 6-0 in Tuesday night's opener of a highly anticipated matchup between the teams with baseball's longest championship droughts.

"It's almost like you have that extra level of intensity," said Kluber, who became the first Series pitcher to strike out eight batters in the first three innings.

AL Championship Series MVP Andrew Millerescaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh and stranded runners at the corners the eighth, preserving a three-run lead and delighting the sellout crowd of 38,091 in Cleveland's first-ever Series home opener.

"The atmosphere in the World Series is so great," Miller said. "You can't help but get caught up in it and enjoy it."

The Indians pitched their fourth shutout in nine games this postseason. After stifling two dangerous lineups in Boston and Toronto during the AL playoffs, Cleveland shut down a hard-hitting Cubs team that scored 23 runs against the Dodgers in the final three games of the NLCS.

Back in the Series for the first time since 1997, the Indians scored twice in the first off October ace Jon Lester.

Perez hit a fourth-inning solo shot and added a three-run drive in the eighth against Hector Rondon, becoming the first Cleveland player and the only No. 9 batter to homer twice in a Series game.

"Oh, I don't think I've ever had a night like that," Perez said.

He has three home runs in 27 at-bats during the postseason after hitting three in 153 during the regular season.

"I've come a long ways," Perez said,

Francisco Lindor added three hits as the Indians improved to 8-1 this postseason. Cleveland manager Terry Francona is 9-0 in the Series, including sweeps by his Boston teams in 2004 and '07.

The Game 1 winner has taken the title in the last six Series and 17 of 19.

"I have no concerns," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's the first game. I'm fine. We're fine."

Trevor Bauer, trying to come back from a sliced pinkie caused by a freak drone accident, starts Game 2 for the Indians on Wednesday night against Jake Arrieta. Because the forecast called for an increased chance of rain later in the evening, Major League Baseball took the extraordinary step of moving up the first pitch by an hour to 7:08 p.m.

Kluber painted the corners, and 24 of his 59 strikes were called by plate umpire Larry Vanover. Twelve batters were caught looking, including seven Cubs.

"I think his ball was moving too much today," said Perez, Cleveland's catcher. "We got guys off balance the whole night."

Kluber combined with Miller and Cody Allen to fan 15 — two shy of the Series record for a nine-inning game — and Chicago went 2 for 15 with 10 strikeouts with runners on base.

With the Indians hoping for their first title since 1948 and the Cubs seeking their first since 1908, Lester stumbled in the opening inning.

He entered 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in three Series starts and got his first two outs on five pitches before Cleveland loaded the bases with two outs. Jose Ramirez had a run-scoring swinging bunt single and Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch — he led the majors with 31 during the regular season.

"There is an importance on small ball, but you can't try to hit a swinging bunt. That's a little bit of good fortune," Francona said. "Then Guyer got hit, which he is really good at."

Perez connected in the fourth for a 3-0 lead.

"When you're going against a guy like Kluber who's locked in from pitch one, to give up two in the first, that makes it tough," Lester said.

Teams that combined for 174 seasons of futility, America's biggest droughts since the Great Plains' Dust Bowl of the 1930s, captivated even many non-baseball fans.

On a night of civic pride, LeBron James and the NBA's Cavaliers received their championship rings next door prior to their season opener, and Cleveland hosted a World Series opener for the first time.

The Cubs had not played in the Series since five weeks after Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender ending World War II.

Kluber, whose win in the All-Star Game gave the AL home-field advantage in the Series, improved to 3-1 in the postseason and lowered his ERA to a sparkling 0.74.

He was pitching on six days' rest, and his two-seam fastball darted through the strike zone. Kluber struck out nine in six innings and walked none.

Kyle Schwarber, making a surprise return in his first big league game since tearing knee ligaments on April 7, doubled off the right-field wall in the fourth — a drive kept in by a stiff wind on a 50-degree night. Kluber then got Javier Baez to fly out.

Zobrist's leadoff double in the seventh finished Kluber, and Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs against Miller on Schwarber's walk and Baez's single. Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras flied to Rajai Davis in short center, and Davis threw home rather than double up Schwarber, who had strayed far off second.

Using his intimidating slider, Miller struck out Addison Russell and David Ross to escape the jam, stranded runners at the corners in the eighth by fanning Schwarber with his 46th pitch, his most in five years. Miller has thrown 20 scoreless innings in postseason play, including 13 2/3 innings with 24 strikeouts this year.

Allen worked the ninth to close it out.

Ramirez also had three hits each for the Indians, who beat Toronto in the ALCS despite hitting just .168. Zobrist had three hit for the Cubs.

Lester gave up three runs, six hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He was rattled by Vanover's calls, barking at the umpire in the third, then stopping for a discussion at the inning's end.

"I'm confident. I know our guys are, too," Schwarber said. "We put up good at-bats against those guys today. We just didn't come up with a knock when we needed to."

UP NEXT

While Arrieta went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA during the regular season, he struggled to a 5.01 ERA in his final four starts. He allowed four runs over five innings in Game 3 of the NLCS.

Bauer lasted only two outs in his ALCS when his pinkie began bleeding.

THEY'RE BACK

Dexter Fowler took a called third strike from Kluber leading off the game, becoming the first Cubs player to bat in the Series since Don Johnson hit into a game-ending forceout against Detroit's Hal Newhouser in Game 7 in 1945.

TAKE A SEAT

Chicago benched right fielder Jason Heyward, in a 2-for-28 postseason slump, and started Chris Coghlan.

D-backs name Amiel Sawdaye as senior vice president and assistant general manager

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) named Amiel Sawdaye (Ah-me-el Saw-day) as Senior Vice President & Assistant General Manager, as announced by Executive Vice President & General Manager Mike Hazen.

"I'm excited Amiel is joining our team." said Hazen. "His experience on the scouting side is evident in his track record of finding talented core players."
 
"I appreciate the D-backs giving me this opportunity," said Sawdaye. "I look forward to continuing to work with Mike and share his vision for bringing this franchise success. I also thank the Boston Red Sox for the opportunities afforded me along with great memories."
 
Sawdaye, 39, worked with Hazen in Boston from 2006-2016. Overall, he spent 15 seasons with the Red Sox from 2002-16, most recently as Vice President, Amateur and International Scouting since January 2015. As Director, Amateur Scouting from 2010-14, he oversaw the drafts that secured Matt Barnes, Mookie Betts, Henry Owens, Travis Shaw, Blake Swihart, and Brandon Workman.
 
His other roles with the Red Sox include Assistant Director, Amateur Scouting (2005-2009), Scouting Assistant (2004) and Baseball Operations Intern (2002-03).
 
The Baltimore native graduated from the University of Maryland in 1999 with a degree in decisions information systems.
 
Sawdaye and his wife, Danielle, have 2 daughters, Lily and Mia, and a son, Max.

Cleveland Indians set World Series roster

The Cleveland Indians have set their 25-man roster in advance of the start of the 112th World Series tonight against the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field.

The Cubs and Indians play the first two games of the World Series tonight and tomorrow night in Cleveland before the series moves to Wrigley Field for Game Three on Friday, October 28, Game Four on Saturday, October 29 and Game Five (if necessary) on Sunday, October 30. The clubs would return to Cleveland for Games Six and Seven (if necessary) November 1-2.

From the previous round, RHP Danny Salazar has replaced RHP Cody Anderson on the Indians' roster.

PITCHERS (12/1)
37: Allen, Cody -- 6-1, 210 -- 11/20/88 -- Orlando, FL
47: Bauer, Trevor -- 6-1, 190 -- 1/17/91 -- North Hollywood, CA
52: Clevinger, Mike -- 6-4, 202 -- 12/21/90 -- Jacksonville, FL
28: Kluber, Corey -- 6-4, 215 -- 4/10/86 -- Birmingham, AL
53: Manship, Jeff -- 6-2, 205 -- 1/16/85 -- San Antonio, TX
34: McAllister, Zach -- 6-6, 240 -- 12/8/87 -- Chillicothe, IL
54: Merritt, Ryan -- 6-0, 170 -- 2/21/92 -- McKinney, TX
24: Miller, Andrew -- 6-7, 205 -- 5/21/85 -- Gainesville, FL
61: Otero, Dan -- 6-3, 215 -- 2/19/85 -- Miami, FL
31: Salazar, Danny -- 6-0, 190 -- 1/11/90 -- Santo Domingo, DR
27: Shaw, Bryan -- 6-1, 210 -- 11/8/87 -- Livermore, CA
43: Tomlin, Josh -- 6-1, 190 -- 10/19/84 -- Tyler, TX

CATCHERS (2):   
10: Gomes, Yan -- 6-2, 215 -- 7/19/87 -- Sao Paulo, Brazil
55: Perez, Roberto -- 5-11, 225 -- 12/23/88 -- Mayaguez, PR

INFIELDERS (6):
22: Kipnis, Jason -- 5-11, 190 -- 4/3/87 -- Northbrook, IL
12: Lindor, Francisco -- 5-11, 190 -- 11/14/93 -- Caguas, PR
1:   Martinez, Michael -- 5-9, 180 -- 9/16/82 -- Santo Domingo, DR
26: Napoli, Mike -- 6-1, 225 -- 10/31/81 -- Hollywood, FL
11: Ramirez, Jose -- 5-9, 165 -- 9/17/92 -- Bani, DR
41: Santana, Carlos -- 5-11, 210 -- 4/8/86 -- Santo Domingo, DR

OUTFIELDERS (5/1):
8: Chisenhall, Lonnie -- 6-2, 190 -- 10/4/88 -- Morehead City, NC
4: Crisp, Coco -- 5-10: 185 -- 11/1/79 -- Los Angeles, CA
20: Davis, Rajai -- 5-9, 195 -- 10/19/80 -- East Lyme, CT
6: Guyer, Brandon -- 6-2, 200 -- 1/28/86 -- West Chester, PA
30: Naquin, Tyler -- 6-2, 190 -- 4/24/91 -- Iola, TX  

Chicago Cubs set World Series roster

The Chicago Cubs have set their 25-man roster in advance of the start of the 112th World Series tonight against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

The Cubs and Indians play the first two games of the World Series tonight and tomorrow night in Cleveland before the series moves to Wrigley Field for Game Three on Friday, October 28, Game Four on Saturday, October 29 and Game Five (if necessary) on Sunday, October 30. The clubs would return to Cleveland for Games Six and Seven (if necessary) November 1-2.

Here is a look at the Chicago Cubs World Series roster:

PITCHERS (11)
6-Carl Edwards Jr., RHP
28-Kyle Hendricks, RHP
34-Jon Lester, LHP
37-Travis Wood, LHP
38-Mike Montgomery, LHP
41-John Lackey, RHP
46-Pedro Strop, RHP
49-Jake Arrieta, RHP
52-Justin Grimm, RHP
54-Aroldis Chapman, LHP
56-Hector Rondon, RHP

POSITION PLAYERS (14)
3-David Ross, C
5-Albert Almora Jr., OF
8-Chris Coghlan, OF
9-Javier Baez, INF
12-Kyle Schwarber, OF/C
17-Kris Bryant, INF
18-Ben Zobrist, INF
22-Jason Heyward, OF
24-Dexter Fowler, OF
27-Addison Russell, INF
40-Willson Contreras, C
44-Anthony Rizzo, INF
47-Miguel Montero, C
68-Jorge Soler, OF

Cubs beat Dodgers 5-0 to reach 1st World Series since 1945

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rizzo caught the ball for the final out and Wrigley Field erupted.

"I'm sleeping with this thing tonight," the Chicago Cubs first baseman told the pulsating crowd moments later, kissing the prized souvenir. "Are you kidding me? We're going to the World Series."

Cubs ... World Series? Yes, the Cubbies!

Next up, Game 1 in Cleveland.

With fans chanting, singing and waving those Ws, shaking the century-old ballpark and jamming the streets of Wrigleyville, the Cubs celebrated a moment many of their faithful wondered whether they would ever see.

Kyle Hendricks outpitched Clayton Kershaw, Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered early and the Cubs took their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Saturday night to win the NL Championship Series in six games.

"Listen to them. Outside before the game was crazy. Inside the game was crazy," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said.

"These guys have done nothing but support us from Day One. It's been unbelievable to be here and be part of this. Words can't really describe where I'm at right now," he said.

Cursed by a Billy Goat, bedeviled by Bartman and crushed by decades of disappointment, those "Lovable Losers" now have a chance to win it all.

Trying to win their first crown since 1908, manager Joe Maddon's team opens the World Series against Cleveland on Tuesday night.

The Indians haven't won it all since 1948 — Cleveland and Cubs have the two longest title waits in the majors.

"This city deserves it so much," Rizzo said. "We got four more big ones to go, but we're going to enjoy this. We're going to the World Series. I can't even believe that."

All-everything Javier Baez and Lester shared the NLCS MVP. Baez hit .318, drove in five runs and made several sharp plays at second base. Lester, a former World Series champion in Boston, was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.

The drought ended when Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play , setting off a wild celebration. And if they bring home the elusive championship?

"I may make the 'W' a tattoo," said chairman Tom Ricketts , who once lived across the street and met his wife in the bleachers.

Deemed World Series favorites since opening day, the Cubs topped the majors with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then beat the Giants and Dodgers in the playoffs.

The Cubs overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Dodgers and won their 17th pennant. They had not earned a World Series trip since winning a doubleheader opener 4-3 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 29, 1945, to clinch the pennant on the next-to-last day of the season.

The eternal "wait till next year" is over. No more dwelling on a history of failure — the future is now.

"We're too young. We don't care about it," star slugger Kris Bryant said. "We don't look into it. This is a new team, this is a completely different time of our lives. We're enjoying it and our work's just getting started."

Hendricks pitched two-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings . Chapman took over and closed with hitless relief, then threw both arms in the air as he was mobbed by teammates and coaches.

The Dodgers sent the minimum 27 batters to the plate and no one got past first base.

The Cubs shook off back-to-back shutout losses earlier in this series by pounding the Dodgers for 23 runs to win the final three games.

And they were in no way overwhelmed by the moment on Saturday, putting aside previous frustration.

In the 1945 Series, the Billy Goat Curse supposedly began when a tavern owner wasn't allowed to bring his goat to Wrigley. In 2003, the Cubs lost the final three games of the NLCS to Florida, punctuated with a Game 6 defeat when fan Steve Bartman deflected a foul ball.

Even as recently as 2012, the Cubs lost 101 times.

This time, no such ill luck.

Bryant had an RBI single and scored in a two-run first . Dexter Fowler added two hits, drove in a run and scored one.

Contreras led off the fourth with a homer.Rizzo continued his resurgence with a solo drive in the fifth.

That was plenty for Hendricks, the major league ERA leader.

Hendricks left to a standing ovation after Josh Reddick singled with one out in the eighth. The only other hit Hendricks allowed was a single by Andrew Toles on the game's first pitch.

Kershaw, dominant in Game 2, gave up five runs and seven hits before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth. He fell to 4-7 in the postseason.

"This day is never fun, the ending of a season," Kershaw said.

The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since winning in 1988.

Pitching on five days' rest, Kershaw needed 30 pitches to get through the first. Fowler led off with a double against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, and Bryant's single had the crowd shaking the 102-year-old ballpark.

Fans had more to cheer when left fielder Andrew Toles dropped Rizzo's fly, putting runners on second and third, and Ben Zobrist made it 2-0 a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs added a run in the second when Addison Russell doubled to deep left and scored on a two-out single by Fowler.

LINEUP SHUFFLE

Maddon benched slumping right fielder Jason Heyward in favor of Albert Almora Jr.

"Kershaw's pitching, so I wanted to get one more right-handed bat in the lineup, and also with Albert I don't feel like we're losing anything on defense," Maddon said. "I know Jason's a Gold Glover, but I think Albert, given an opportunity to play often enough would be considered a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, too."

Heyward was 2 for 28 in the playoffs — 1 for 16 in the NLCS.

SEEN

Kerry Wood, wearing a Ron Santo jersey, threw out the first pitch and actor Jim Belushi delivered the "Play Ball!" call before the game. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder and actor John Cusack were also in attendance. And Bulls great Scottie Pippen led the seventh-inning stretch.