Are you Chicago Cubs fan looking for reasons that explain how the Cubs lost 6-0 to the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the World Series? Look no further, we bring you some of the numbers that explain the Cubbies opening game debacle.
-Kluber struck out eight Cub players in the first three innings – no other pitcher had ever done that in the World Series. Furthermore, through six impressive innings, Kluber threw 88 pitches and allowed just four hits shutting down a Cubs team that had exploded against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
-The Cubs lineup had no runs, seven hits, two walks and 15 strikeouts, the most by any team in a World Series game in 31 years
-Fowler, Bryant, Rizzo and Zobrist, the top four batters of the Cubs lineup, had a dreadful 3-for-15 performance with one walk and four strike outs, with all the hits coming via Ben Zobrist..
-Jon Lester, walked two batters and hit one, allowing more free bases in the first inning of Game 1 than he had in his three National League playoff starts combined.
-Lester was less than stellar as he allowed three runs (two in the first inning), six hits, three walks, hit a batter and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings.
Catcher RobertoPerez became the first Indians batter to hit a couple of home runs in a World Series game and the first player to hit two in his first Fall Classic game since 2002 (Troy Glaus in Game 1 for the Angels).
-Notes: Kluber became the sixth pitcher in World Series history to strike out at least nine and walk none. During this postseason he’s 3-1 with a 0.74 ERA while striking out 29 batters in 24 1/3 innings.
Pitchers for Game 2: Chicago’s Jake Arrieta vs Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer
Betting line for Game 2 of the World Series: Cubs -134 Indians +124
