CHICAGO: One win away.
One win away from the Indians’ first World Series championship in 68 years.
One win away from two parades in a span of four and a half months. (Um ... barricades, maybe?)
One win away from making Believeland an actual postmark. (Why not? It would look great on the Christmas cards.)
The Indians’ title run, which seemed so unlikely on Sept. 17 when right-hander Carlos Carrasco fractured a bone in his hand and injuries continued to ravage the pitching staff, feels tangible now.
The Indians went to sleep dreaming of their lifelong goal after a 7-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs in Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday night at Wrigley Field.
Of course, clinching in the storied old ballpark is anything but certain. Up 3-1, the Indians will send unpredictable right-hander Trevor Bauer to the mound Sunday night against left-hander Jon Lester.
But statistics are in the Tribe’s favor to win it all. Teams that have led the World Series 2-1 and win Game 4 have claimed the championship 86 percent of the time (37 out of 43), including the last 10. The last team to take a 3-1 lead and lose was the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals.
I know, 3-1 is a lesson in Northeast Ohio that goes both ways after the Cavaliers rallied from that deficit in the NBA Finals. But in silencing the fanatical crowd in Wrigley, the Indians proved to be as determined and scrappy as ever. As reliever Andrew Miller warned Friday night, they showed no signs of taking their foot off the gas.
They did the little things right, like Lonnie Chisenhall’s RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth that made it 4-1. Like Coco Crisp delivering a pinch hit for the second consecutive night after he provided the only run in Game 3. They did the big things right, like Carlos Santana’s solo home run that tied the game in the second inning and Jason Kipnis’ three-run homer in the seventh that provided a 7-1 cushion.
But to put themselves in position for a title, the Indians also rode their ace.
Right-hander Corey Kluber, starting on three days’ rest for only the second time in his career, turned into the Indians’ version of the Browns’ Terrelle Pryor, as one fan noted on Twitter. Kluber, who had his spikes on if needed to pinch hit late in Game 3, proved he was worthy of such a task.
Kluber put the Indians ahead 2-1 in the top of the second when he hit an infield dribbler toward third base. Chisenhall scored on the throw when the ball got past first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Kluber’s RBI marked the first lead change in 15 consecutive postseason games.
On the mound, Kluber did not seem fazed by pitching on short rest. His only postseason loss, against the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, came on three days’ rest. But manager Terry Francona said Friday he believed Kluber had gotten over the mental hurdle of wondering how his legs would hold up.
Kluber accomplished a rare feat in winning Games 1 and 4 of a World Series. The last to do it was the Reds’ Jose Rijo in 1990. Kluber pitched six shutout innings and struck out nine in a 6-0 victory in Game 1 Tuesday at Progressive Field, then came back to give up one run on five hits in six innings Saturday. He improved to 4-1 in the postseason with an 0.75 ERA.
But the Indians aren’t just Kluber and company. They are a well-rounded, deep team led by one of the best managers in baseball. They will do anything for Francona, even pinch hit when they are pitching the next day. They are a group of gritty, determined men who care about each other.
They also love proving people wrong. It might be a Northeast Ohio beat writer, television baseball analysts or oddsmakers in Las Vegas. Now the odds are in their favor.
Certainly the Series isn’t over. There’s no certainty that Bauer can come through on Sunday. His lacerated right pinkie, cut in a drone accident, will likely limit him to bunting when at the plate. Lester is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in the playoffs.
But it might be time to put a little bubbly in the fridge just in case.
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.