Chicago Cubs edge Cleveland Indians in game five to avoid elimination in World Series
The Cubs, on the brink of losing an eighth consecutive World Series, avoided elimination on Sunday by defeating Cleveland 3-2
Chicago’s Kris Bryant homered and Cuban relief ace Aroldis Chapman pitched the final 2 2/3 innings as the Cubs pulled within 3-2 in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship series, which continues with game six on Tuesday in Cleveland, where a seventh game would be played on Wednesday if needed.
Kris Breezy gave his @Cubs fans a souvenir: https://t.co/uqflax1fBS #WorldSeries pres. by @TMobile pic.twitter.com/sUqyHq6zyJ— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2016
The Cubs, in their first World Series since 1945, are trying to snap America’s longest sports title drought while the Indians own baseball’s second-longest futility streak, last taking the trophy in 1948.
“It didn’t feel like an elimination game,” Bryant said. “We had a big inning and Chapman coming in for eight outs, that was big.”
Of 46 teams that trailed 3-1 in the World Series, only six have rallied to win the title, the most recent being the 1985 Kansas City Royals. And the Cubs have never won any play-off series after trailing 3-1.