CHICAGO: It was a pitching matchup that heavily favored the Cubs, the kind of game that the undaunted Indians have usually won this season.
Until the fourth inning Sunday night in Game 5 of the World Series, that looked like it would be the case again. The Indians had a one-run lead, and the Cubs had ace Jon Lester on the mound and nothing but style points, mostly on foul balls.
Then as Tribe right-hander Trevor Bauer began his second time through the rotation, the struggling Cubs batters found themselves.
And Indians manager Terry Francona, whose every move has been the right one in the postseason, made his first misstep.
He stuck with Bauer too long.
Some might argue to the relative insignificance since the game was tight throughout. But with the Indians holding a 3-1 lead in the series coming in, I thought the erratic Bauer would be on a very short leash. I thought Francona would treat Game 5 like a Game 7 and pull Bauer at the very hint of trouble. I agreed with a fellow Northeast Ohio writer that Francona might not even let Bauer bat.
I thought Francona would use his entire 25-man roster to capture the Indians’ first World Series title since 1948.
Instead, Bauer gave up three runs on five hits in the fourth, starting with a leadoff home run by Kris Bryant. That inning was all the Cubs needed in a 3-2 victory, sending the Series back to Progressive Field for Game 6 Tuesday night.
When Bauer surrendered the home run to Bryant and a double to deep right field by Anthony Rizzo in the fourth, Francona had a host of help at his disposal. Among his options were Mike Clevinger, who eventually started warming up, Danny Salazar and Ryan Merritt. Closer Cody Allen did not pitch Saturday, and Francona said he might be used earlier than normal in Game 5 [he came in in the seventh]. The bullpen was all in.
“All of us down there will be ready from inning one,” reliever Bryan Shaw said before the game, referencing something unforeseen with Bauer’s healing right pinkie.
At the suggestion that Francona would pull out all the stops, reliever Dan Otero said, “Doesn’t he do that every game? I think it’s the playoffs, you’re trying to win every game. I always keep hearing, ‘Is this a must-win game?’ Every game’s a must-win game, whether you’re down one, up one, up two, up three, it doesn’t matter.
“However we’re going to go about it, I don’t know. I’m not in Tito’s head. I don’t think he even knows how he’s going to go about it yet.
Francona had to be pleased with how Bauer looked the first time through the order. Although he came in with a 5.00 postseason ERA, he was throwing his curveball for strikes and keeping it low in the zone, while his glove-side two-seamer was moving, as Jeff Passan of YahooSports observed on Twitter.
In the decisive fourth, two of the Cubs’ five hits never left the infield, including one bunt. There may have been other factors at work, like who was available for relief duty.
But Francona let Bauer finish the fourth before turning the ball over to Clevinger.
It is hard to second-guess Francona. He holds an 11-2 career record in the World Series. The Indians wouldn’t have gotten this far without his leadership navigating the rough waters of injuries, suspensions and a drone accident.
There is no reason to panic. Forty of the 46 previous times the team holding a 3-1 lead in the World Series won it. The last time that trend was broken was by the 1985 Royals.
Several Indians, notably Mike Napoli and Francisco Lindor, are much better hitters at home. Northeast Ohio is starved for a Progressive Field celebration, with the Indians’ previous three clinches of the American League Central Division title, American League Division Series and Championship Series coming on the road. The visitors clubhouse at Wrigley Field is so tiny that postgame interviews were conducted on the field.
The Indians had their chances to win Game 5. Stranding Carlos Santana at third base with one out in the fifth loomed large. They had two on with two out in the seventh and failed to score after Cubs manager Joe Maddon brought in closer Aroldis Chapman. In the eighth, Jason Kipnis fouled out to left with Rajai Davis at second and, after Davis stole third, Lindor looked a low third strike from Chapman.
I would take Francona at the helm over any other manager in baseball. But on this night, I still wish he had a quicker hook.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.