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Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians blank Chicago Cubs in World Series opener

By Jim Ingraham, The Sports Xchange
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber talks about his win over the Chicago Cubs in game 1 of the World Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on October 25, 2016. Cleveland beat Chicago 6-0 to take a 1-0 series lead. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk /UPI
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber talks about his win over the Chicago Cubs in game 1 of the World Series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on October 25, 2016. Cleveland beat Chicago 6-0 to take a 1-0 series lead. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk /UPI | License Photo

CLEVELAND -- Corey Kluber pitched six-plus stellar innings, and Cleveland's vaunted bullpen took it from there as the Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Roberto Perez hit two homers and drove in four runs in the first Game 1 of a World Series ever played in Cleveland.

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Perez slugged a solo home run in the fourth inning and added a three-run blast in the eighth. After hitting three home runs in the regular season, Perez now has three in the postseason.

Indians pitchers, meanwhile, have combined to pitch 18 consecutive scoreless innings. Cleveland shut out Toronto 3-0 in the fifth and final game of the American League Championship Series.

Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez had three hits each for the Indians, who improved to 8-1 in the postseason.

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Andrew Miller followed Kluber to the mound and pitched two scoreless innings. Cody Allen pitched a scoreless ninth. The three Cleveland pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts and two walks.

With Cleveland leading 3-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Brandon Guyer drew a two-out walk, and Lonnie Chisenhall singled off Justin Grimm. Hector Rodon relieved Grimm, and Perez greeted Rondon by slamming a hanging breaking ball into the left field bleachers for a three-run homer.

Kluber allowed four hits and no walks while fanning nine -- an Indians record for strikeouts in a World Series game. In three postseason starts this year, he is 3-1 with a 0.74 ERA. In 24 1/3 innings. he has allowed two runs on 13 hits with 29 strikeouts.

Cubs starter Jon Lester, who came into the game 2-0 with an 0.86 ERA in three postseason starts this year, went 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Kluber was removed from the game, leading 3-0, after giving up a leadoff single to Ben Zobrist in the seventh inning. Miller came on to face left-handed-hitting Kyle Schwarber, who walked on a 3-2 pitch. Javier Baez followed by lining an 0-2 pitch to left field for a single, loading the bases with no outs.

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Willson Contreras, pinch-hitting for Chris Coghlan, flied out to center field, too shallow for the runner from third to score. Miller then struck out Addison Russell on three pitches, and he struck out David Ross on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

In the eighth, the Cubs got a walk and a single to put runners at first and third with two outs, but Miller struck out Schwarber on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

Kluber got off to his best start in a game this year, striking out eight of the first 11 batters he faced. In the second inning, Ben Zobrist led off with a double, but Kluber struck out Schwarber, Baez and Coghlan in order to end that inning. Kluber also struck out the side in the third inning.

In the bottom of the first, Lester retired the first two batters he faced before running into trouble. Lindor singled and stole second. Mike Napoli drew a walk, as did Carlos Santana, loading the bases with two outs.

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Ramirez then hit a dribbler down the third base line into no-man's land. Third baseman Kris Bryant fielded it but had no play anywhere. Lindor scored, Ramirez reached on an infield single, and the bases remained loaded.

Guyer, who led the American League in each of the past two years in getting hit by pitches, got hit in the leg on an 0-2 pitch from Lester, forcing in Napoli with the Indians' second run.

The Indians made it 3-0 in the fourth inning. Perez hit a one-out fly ball over the left field wall.

NOTES: Cubs C/OF Kyle Schwarber, who had surgery April 7 to repair torn ligaments in his left knee and missed most of the season, was in the lineup for Game 1 of the World Series, batting fifth as the designated hitter. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta, who will start Game 2 on Wednesday, has one career start at Progressive Field. In a 14-8 win on Aug. 10, 2010, while pitching for Baltimore, he pitched six innings and gave up five runs. ... Indians RHP Trevor Bauer said he is confident his lacerated right pinkie finger that bled profusely and forced him out of his last start in the first inning of Game 3 of the ALCS in Toronto, will hold up better in his scheduled start in Game 2 on Wednesday. ... RHP Danny Salazar was added to the Indians' World Series roster, and RHP Cody Anderson was removed. Salazar, an All-Star this year, hadn't pitched since Sept. 9 because of tightness in his right forearm.

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