Corey Kluber walked off the mound to a thunderous ovation from his Progressive Field audience on Tuesday night. The Indians ace was overpowering on the World Series’ overwhelming stage, delivering a classic performance against the Cubs that put Cleveland three wins away from baseball’s promised land.
In a 6-0 Game 1 victory, Kluber sliced his way through Chicago’s lineup in a vintage outing, piling up nine strikeouts in six-plus brilliant innings. The leader of the Tribe’s staff set a World Series record with eight strikeouts in the first three innings, and he kept his foot on the gas for the duration of his start, outdueling lefty Jon Lester.
“He’s our ace,” Indians catcher Roberto Perez said. “Every time he steps on the mound, I expect big things from him. He was awesome. We had a good game plan going on before the game. We executed pitches, and he was outstanding.”
Thanks to Kluber’s masterpiece, and a pair of home runs from Perez, history is now on the Indians’ side.
“I don’t know if there is one thing you can put your finger on,” Kluber said of his postseason dominance. “I think that it’s, obviously, there’s more riding on each game. So, not that there is less importance on a regular-season game, but it’s almost like you have that extra level of intensity or focus and stuff that it’s not really something you can replicate.”
The win was the first in the Fall Classic for the Indians since Game 6 in 1997, against the Marlins, who broke Cleveland’s hearts with a win in Game 7. For the Cubs, who have not won a championship since 1908 — 40 years before the Tribe’s last title in ’48 — their wait continues. Not since Game 6 of the 1945 Series against Detroit has Chicago won a World Series affair.
Click here to read more of this story.
About Marion Online Sports
