World Series Game 2 start moved up an hour, rain in forecast

One more drought quenched, one more to go.

CLEVELAND Chicago’s Jake Arrieta was nearly unhittable and the middle of the Cubs lineup delivered at the plate in a 5-1 Game Two win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday which leveled the best-of-seven World Series.

Bauer was making his first start since he exited Game 3 of the ALCS on October 17 after only two-thirds of an inning because of bleeding on his pitching hand’s pinky.

Schwarber tore his ACL and LCL in April but worked his way back in time to DH in the first two games in Cleveland, which the teams split.

“That’s our mantra on a nightly basis, ” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Flying in that weather was a little bit of a knuckleball express”.

Despite decades of finding ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it was the Cubs, who led Major League Baseball with 103 wins during the regular season, who entered the playoffs as the World Series favourites. A few waved the familiar white and blue “W” flags.

Cubs star Kyle Schwarber won’t be in the starting lineup for the three World Series games this weekend after he was denied medical clearance to play the outfield following his return from knee surgery.

Between nine hits and eight walks, there were Cubs on base all game. “Baseball’s a insane game”.

Bauer has pitched just two-thirds of an inning since suffering a laceration to his right pinkie finger while performing “routine maintenance” on a drone on the eve of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays almost two weeks ago.

“Part of taking him out then was with that in mind”, said Francona, who will go back to Kluber once again if Game 7 is needed.

“It’s always huge support for the club knowing there are Cubs fans everywhere and that they travel to follow us”, said left fielder Ben Zobrist, who was two for four with an RBI triple on Wednesday.

“I wanted to come out and pitch my game”.

“I’m going to talk to Theo shortly”, Maddon told reporters at Wrigley Field.

Jake Arrieta was outstanding, allowing only two hits and one run while striking out six through his 5 2/3 innings. Indians pitchers didn’t retire Cubs hitters in order in an inning until the seventh.

Arrieta has two career no-hitters, in fact, including the only one in the majors this year. “He’s moving a lot better than I thought he would”, Zobrist said. “That’s really not the focus in a game like this”.

“We’ve done a good job not letting the moment get the best of us and just focusing on passing the baton and having quality pitches, quality at-bats, both sides of the ball”. “You have to tip your hat to Arrieta”. “You start getting deeper into the game, and if they mount a rally, getting out of that, you’re really exerting”.

Kyle Hendricks and Josh Tomlin will go in Game 3 Friday evening with the World Series now tied. Two days later, Chicago lost Game 7. We know we play pretty good at home.

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

Bauer says he’s set to face the Cubs.

As he rehabbed, the Cubs managed fine without him. I know that’s a conversation that they’ll have. That draws your attention to him. The teams combined for a Series record-tying three wild pitches.