Cubs Back Strong, Pound Dodgers, Indians Clinch W.S. Berth

By ESPN

After striking out in his first two at-bats, Anthony Rizzo needed something to bust his slump. He found it in teammate Matt Szczur's bat.

Using the borrowed lumber, Rizzo homered and ended a postseason skid with three RBI. The rest of the Chicago Cubs' hitters broke out equally as big in routing the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 on Wednesday to even the NL Championship Series at 2-all.

"I know Szczur's bat has a lot of hits in it," Rizzo said. "I've done it a few times this year, just switching up the bat, switching up the mindset."

Addison Russell's two-run homer highlighted a four-run fourth that stopped Chicago's 21-inning scoreless streak and ensured the NLCS will return to Wrigley Field for Game 6 on Saturday.

"It's definitely a sigh of relief to have a big night," Russell said.

Kenta Maeda is set to pitch for the Dodgers in Game 5 on Thursday against Jon Lester. Manager Dave Roberts said he will not start Clayton Kershaw on short rest after the Los Angeles ace threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

"It's not an elimination game," Roberts said.

Following consecutive shutout losses, the Cubs rapped out 13 hits on an 80-degree night with the warm Santa Ana winds fluttering the flags in center field.

Rizzo used Szczur's bat on Tuesday night and got a broken-bat single. Szczur, left off the NLCS roster, didn't mind. He wrapped another one for Game 4, figuring Rizzo might want to use the bat that is the same weight and size but a different model than his.

"I just saw him walking up with my bat, and I started laughing," Szczur said. "And then he hits a homer with it."

Rizzo and Russell had three hits each. Chicago's 3-4-5 hitters -- a combined 2 for 32 in the first three games -- busted out. Every Cubs starter got at least one hit except Kris Bryant, who walked twice and was hit by a pitch.

"It's contagious, just like the lack of it is contagious," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "When you start hitting, it's contagious, defense, this whole game really follows itself."

Los Angeles was limited to six hits and made four errors in a game that dragged on for 3 hours, 58 minutes.

"It happens, but we haven't had a game like that in a long time," Roberts said . "You've got to brush off and get ready for tomorrow."

Mike Montgomery won in relief of John Lackey, removed after consecutive walks opening the fifth. Four days shy of his 38th birthday, Lackey allowed two runs, three hits and three walks.

Indians Headed to World Series

For the Cleveland Indians, the script was the same every game -- hope for the best from whoever they started, then count on Andrew Miller and the bullpen to close it out.

That plan seemed especially dicey in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series, with lightly used Ryan Merritt on the mound.

But out of nowhere, the rookie delivered.

Merritt coolly kept the Indians ahead until reinforcements arrived, and Cleveland earned its first trip to the World Series since 1997 by blanking the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Wednesday.

The 24-year-old lefty defied expectations, shutting down the powerful Blue Jays before exiting in the fifth inning. Thanks to a most unlikely pitching performance, a most unexpected team won the ALCS 4-1.

Cleveland, which has never hosted a World Series opener, will play Game 1 at Progressive Field on Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs or Los Angeles Dodgers.

Manager Terry Francona's team will try to augment what's already been a scintillating year in Cleveland after LeBron James and the Cavaliers earned the city's first major pro sports championship since 1964.

The Indians' title drought dates to 1948. In 1997, they let a one-run lead get away in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 7 and lost to the Florida Marlins in the 11th.

"We always said if we could do it with this group it would be so special because this is as close to a family feel as you can get in a professional setting. So for that part of it, it is beyond feeling good," Francona said.

Thursday, October 20 Schedule (Time Central)

Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers, 7 p.m.

NLCS -- Game 5

Friday, October 21 Schedule

No games scheduled

Saturday, October 22 Schedule (Time Central)

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 7 p.m.

NLCS -- Game 6

Sunday, October 23 Schedule (Time Central)

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 7 p.m.

NLCS --  Game 7, if necessary