Can Otero close it out?

5 runs up, 2 outs to go ... feels pretty good.

...............

BUT ARoid says it's not over yet.

Well, it's not over, but it's a tough spot for the Cubbies.

I don't know. Was I watching the same game as the rest of you guys?

It's pretty easy to get the fastball over the plate and getting the calls. Not so much with the curves and sliders. I loved the way Kluber et al changed their pitching approach to the Cubs this time around.

First game more fast balls, this game more slider and curves. Not so easy to get the calls on those pitches. Kluber fools the umpires as much as he does the hitters. I thought Corey did a masterful job. He's NOT going to get shut outs every time out especially on short rest.

The only concern I had was letting Miller go two innings with a 6 run lead. I'm glad Francona didn't use Allen in the 9th. Otero or Shaw would have been the right call. I would have even considered Salazar.

As I thought, Lackey's composure was shaken by getting "squeezed". We took advantage of the situations as I thought we might. The only thing, I thought we'd take more advantage of him. I thought we'd hit him for more than two runs.

I also thought the coverage was top loaded with Cubbie stuff but who's counting as long as we keep taking care of business.

BUT ARoid says it's not over yet.

Remember the Cavs?

It's never over until the fat lady sings but you gotta love the position we're in. Pitching and Defense wins championships and we have both.

Miller sets postseason record with 29th K
Indians' lefty passes K-Rod (2002) with 2 strikeouts in G4

Trevor Bauer vs Jon Lester...... Trevor will have his work cut out for him tomorrow night. If there is a silver lining in this cloud, it will be Bauer's breaking ball.

Trevor had a so-so start in game 2. The control was not quite there yet, but he only gave up 2 runs although he did surrender 2 walks, and 6 hits in that 5-1 loss. He went 3.2 innings which was good. I'm sure that outing was a big confidence builder and his concentration should be much better knowing that the finger won't be opening up a leaky faucet. I don't expect that the finger to be that much of a concern this time around. I expect his control to be much better. I'm looking for 4-5 quality innings.

I don't know what Francona's plans are but I'd like to have Salazar ready to come in relief of Bauer if he gets into trouble. I'm sure Bauer is on a short leash. Just take it one batter.....one innings at a time. I just have a feeling that Salazar could be a key piece of the puzzle tomorrow.

GO TRIBE

Kluber now has a 0.89 ERA over his first 5 postseason starts. Passing up Sandy Koufax and El Duque Hernandez with the lowest ERA over a pitchers first 5 postseason performances.

I too questioned starting Kluber on short rest but dude is amazing.

I also questioned using Miller tonight. Would have preferred just bringing in Salazar or a combo of Otero and the lower end guys to mop up and save Miller for tomorrow if needed. Once again it feels as if Tito is willing to throw away one tomorrow to get one today. But the guy has us up 3-1 so hard to question anything he does.

He benches Napoli in favor of Carlos "Black Magic Hitter" Santana and Carlos hits the cover off the ball all night.

Every string he pulls turns to gold. Gonna start calling him Rumpelstilskin if we win this thing.

Also agree Joe Buck and most of the major media have been all over the Cubs jock. You should have heard Chris Mad Dog Russo on MLB channel yesterday. He had the Cubs winning in 5.

Eric Byrnes on MLB Network has been very favorable to us. Tonight he said the Indians is the better team in every facet of the game. Al Leiter and Mark De Rosa has been kind to us. Leiter just loves Kluber. MLB Network has been fun to watch last few weeks.

Cubs can be pitched to. As long as you aren't grooving fastballs over the plate their lineup can be pitched to. And Callaway and the pitching staff are proving it. Hopefully we have one more in us.

Bauer tomorrow. He needs to find that good curveball and feed them a steady diet of it.

Post game presser Tito says Miller will be available tomorrow!

He said he may switch roles for Allen and Miller, and let Cody do more of a load like Miller has been.

This guy is on top of things.

Tito is going to play this game like it is game 7. All hands on deck with a day of rest for those that are used. Bauer,Merritt, Salazar,Allen,Shaw and Miller.

I watched postgame on MLB and they gave that stat on Kluber, lowest ERA first 5 starts. Well then I turned over to ESPN and they put up a graphic of exact same thing but showed him in 2nd place all time behind Matthewson. So my apologies if that is incorrect. One of the two stations messed up.

Hillbilly wrote: Every string he pulls turns to gold. Gonna start calling him Rumpelstilskin if we win this thing.

Was watching MLB Network yesterday before the game and they had both Tito and Theo Epstein on together. By the way, if you have read Tito's book, you know they are incredibly close.

So they ask Theo why he hired Tito in 2003. He says a lot of stuff, but later on a quote stuck with me. Epstein said in retrospect "Tito is a great manager, who gets even better in the postseason".

Well put Theo.