World Series, Game 2: Jake Arrieta steps up
The Cubs needed someone to step up on Wednesday night, and Jake Arrieta answered the call. The Cubs ace delivered a pitching gem and the Cubs offense found their bats to defeat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 in Game 2 of the World Series in Cleveland.
After a Game 1 where Cleveland’s Corey Kluber shut down Chicago’s offense, Game 2 was almost a complete reversal, as Arrieta held Cleveland to one run on two hits and three walks over 5.2 innings pitched. After a first inning where he walked two straight, Arrieta found his groove and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning until Jason Kipnis got the Indians on the board with a double. Kipnis later scored on a wild pitch by Arrieta, who was then pulled from the game.
The Cubs scored their first run of the World Series in the first inning, as Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer ran into trouble from the beginning. Pitching with a sizable cut on his pitching hand’s pinky, Bauer gave up a single to Kris Bryant, who then scored on Anthony Rizzo’s double which immediately followed. Ben Zobrist also continued his torrid stretch, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Bauer’s struggles did not stop there, though, as he was pulled after allowing two runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. The Cubs were able to build a sizable lead in the fifth inning as a Ben Zobrist triple, Kyle Schwarber single, and Addison Russell walk plated three runs to push the lead to 5-0.
Perhaps the best story of the game was Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber tore two ligaments in his knee way back in April and was thought to be out for the year. He was surprisingly added to the World Series roster for the Cubs, and has served as the designated hitter in both Games 1 and 2. After a double that nearly cleared the fences in Game 1, Schwarber showed he’s returned from the injury that robbed him of his season, hitting 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI singles. In all likelihood, he won’t be playing in the field as the series moves to Chicago and National League rules, but he has provided a real boost for an already vaunted Cubs lineup.
Cleveland struggled much of the night to hit anything off of Arrieta or Mike Montgomery and Aroldis Chapman, who combined to close out the game after Arrieta’s exit. Only Mike Napoli had a multi-hit game for the Indians. Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez, who powered Cleveland’s offense to a Game 1 win, were kept hitless by the Cubs.
With the series now tied 1-1, the contest will shift to the north side of Chicago and Wrigley Field, which will host its first World Series game since 1945. The Cubs will have an opportunity to close out the series, and their curse, at home as the next three games will be played within the ‘Friendly Confines’. Games 6 and 7 will be played in Cleveland, if necessary.
Game 3 is set for 6:08 pm MST start time.