Cleveland (AFP) – While the Chicago Cubs returned to the World Series after a 71-year wait, the Cleveland Indians made sure they would wait even longer for a Series victory.
Cleveland’s Roberto Perez smashed two home runs and pitcher Corey Kluber struck out nine batters over six shutout innings to spark the Indians over Chicago 6-0 in the opening game of the 112th World Series.
The Cubs own America’s longest sports championship drought, having not won the Major League Baseball crown since 1908, while the Indians have the second-longest futility streak in the major leagues, having last taken the title in 1948.
The best-of-seven showdown that will end one team’s misery continues Wednesday at Cleveland before the scene shifts to Chicago’s iconic 102-year-old Wrigley Field.
Major League Baseball advanced Wednesday’s start by one hour to 7 p.m. (2300 GMT) due to forecasts of heavy rain by late evening.
The game-one winner has gone on to capture the World Series in 17 of the past 19 years.
The Cubs, who led the major leagues with 103 regular-seasson victories, made their first World Series appearance since 1945, a 25,948-day gap, before 38,091 spectators.
Perez blasted a three-run homer off Cubs reliever Hector Rondon in the eighth inning after a solo round-tripper off the metal railing atop the left-field wall in the fourth inning.
The 27-year-old Puerto Rican catcher became the first player since 2002 to hit two homers in his first World Series game.
Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez each went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate for the Indians.
– Kluber baffles Cubs –
Kluber, now with 12 consecutive triumphs when the Tribe score at least two runs, struck out eight of the first 11 batters he faced, baffling Cubs hitters by painting the inside edges of the strike zone.
The 30-year-old right-hander, an 18-game winner this season, set a World Series record for most strikeouts over the first three innings — one better than Randy Johnson, Bob Gibson and Orlando Hernandez — and a Cleveland mark for most strikeouts in a World Series game.
Cubs left-handed pitcher Jon Lester, who had lost only once since June 3, allowed only one run in taking three prior World Series starts but stumbled early, handing the Indians a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Lindor smacked a two-out single, then stole second base and took third on walks issued to Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana. Lindor scored when Ramirez dribbled a ground ball halfway to third base for an infield single.
With the bases still loaded, Lester then hit Cleveland batter Brandon Guyer with a pitch to force home another Indians run. Cubs catch David Ross grabbed a pop fly to end the threat but the damage had been done.
Kluber was removed in the seventh after surrendering a leadoff single to Ben Zobrist, but Indians reliever Andrew Miller walked Kyle Schwarber and Javier Baez singled to load the bases.
The Cubs’ threat fizzled, however, as Wilson Contreras flew out and Miller struck out Addison Russell and Ross to end the inning.
Chicago brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth after Kris Bryant walked and Zobrist singled, but Miller struck out Schwarber to escape again.
Schwarber, who played only two games all season due to an April left knee injury, doubled in the fourth inning, becoming the first non-pitcher whose first base hit of a season came in the World Series.
The Indians improved to 2-4 in World Series openers while the Cubs fell to 3-7 with one drawn.
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