Cubs are one win from the World Series
LOS ANGELES — So much has been made of Jon Lester's contract with the Chicago Cubs. But when it has counted, Lester has been money.
Lester showed again Thursday night why he's among the leading candidates for the Cy Young Award.
While his team struggled for runs and left men on base early, Lester was holding the Los Angeles Dodgers at bay in Game 5 of the National League championship series.
Shortstop Addison Russell finally gave the Cubs' offense the breakthrough it needed with his second 2-run homer in two nights, this one coming in the sixth inning off reliever Joe Blanton to break a 1-1 tie.
The Cubs added on late and rode away with an 8-4 victory and a three-games-to-two lead in the best-of-seven series.
A victory in Saturday night's Game 6 will put the Cubs into their first World Series since 1945.
For that, give credit to Lester for holding the fort.
“That's (what) the really great starting pitching does,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. “They permit you to get into the game. You might fail a couple times early. But they keep the score tight, and then you can do something about it.”
Finishing off the Dodgers will be no easy task. Ace L.A. lefty Clayton Kershaw will take the mound against the Cubs Saturday. He beat the Cubs 1-0 in Game 2. But the Cubs will have the home-field advantage.
“Obviously, it feels good,” Maddon said. “You'd much rather go home under those circumstances than any other, and you want to get it done as quickly as possible. It's going to be a formidable event. Our guys will be absolutely ready for the moment.”
Nothing got done quickly Thursday, as the Cubs and Dodgers slogged through a 4-hour, 16-minute nine-inning game.
The Cubs scored a run in the first as Dexter Fowler led off with a single. One out later, he came home on a double by Anthony Rizzo. The Dodgers tied it in the fourth. All the while their baserunners tried to rattle Lester by taking big leads, knowing his problems throwing to the bases. Their batters often bluffed bunts.
Lester stayed cool when it mattered but displayed his usual emotion after getting big outs. That's what the Cubs envisioned when they signed him to a six-year, $155 million contract before last season.
“I just get fired up getting outs,” said Lester, a 19-game winner in the regular season. “I don't care how it happens … I play this game with emotion, and if it rubs people the wrong way, oh well.”
He has seen teams try to rattle him all year. It didn't work, as he went 7 innings of 5-hit, 1-run ball. He won Game 1 of the division series against the Giants and pitched 6 innings of 1-run ball in the NLCS opener, getting a no-decision.
“It is what it is,” he said. “I'd prefer Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson to try to bunt. They're home run guys. They hit 30 homers, so I'd rather them put the ball on the ground and let these guys try to field it and take my chances that way.”
A couple of “these guys” flanked Lester for the postgame media session. Russell broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with a booming drive to center field. Once again, Russell was exuberant going around the bases.
“Pumped up,” he said. “Not only for myself, but for the team and that little cushion that Jonny had to go forward from that, and I felt really good.”
The Cubs added on with 5 insurance runs in the eighth. Baez, perhaps the team MVP for the entire postseason, capped the inning with a 3-run double to right. He put on the brakes hard rounding second base and limped a bit, but said he was OK.
“I'm good,” he said. “I just think I overran (the base) a little bit. I saw (Yasiel) Puig bobble the ball, and I was trying to go three. I was just trying to run a little harder than I do. I felt something in my ankle, but I'm fine. One hundred percent.”
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