National Basketball Association

The Latest: Russell's slam gives Cubs big lead in Game 6

Published Nov. 1, 2016 11:02 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

CLEVELAND (AP) The Latest on Game 6 of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians (all times local):

9:55 p.m.

LeBron James and his teammates on the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers have arrived at the ballpark and are sitting in a suite. They played a 6 p.m. game at Quicken Loans Arena just across the plaza, beating the Rockets 128-120.

''If they win it, we've got to come back and win it again, too,'' Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said about the Indians.

---

9:40 p.m.

The Indians are on the board but still trail 7-1.

Jason Kipnis doubled off the left-center wall leading off the fourth inning for Cleveland's first hit against Jake Arrieta. One out later, Kipnis scored on Mike Napoli's single.

Cleveland had a chance for more, but right fielder Jason Heyward made a tough catch to rob Jose Ramirez of a hit, and Arrieta struck out rookie Tyler Naquin with the bases loaded to end the inning.

---

9:15 p.m.

Addison Russell is having himself a night in Game 6.

The 22-year-old shortstop has six RBIs through three innings, including a grand slam off Cleveland reliever Dan Otero that gave the Chicago Cubs a commanding 7-0 lead.

The six RBIs for Russell have tied the record for a World Series game.

Aided by an Indians misplay in the outfield, Russell hit a two-run double off starter Josh Tomlin in the first to help the Cubs jump in front 3-0. Russell then drove Otero's third pitch to center field for the first World Series grand slam since Paul Konerko connected for the Chicago White Sox in 2005 (Game 2).

It was the first grand slam by a Cubs player in the World Series and the first given up by an Indians pitcher.

Mickey Mantle was the only player younger than Russell to hit a grand slam in the World Series.

The Cubs are looking to become the first team since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates to rally from a 3-1 Series deficit by winning the final two games on the road.

---

8:55 p.m.

Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta is cruising so far.

Staked to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, Arrieta has struck out four and allowed just a walk to Francisco Lindor through two innings as Chicago tries to force a Game 7.

Arrieta received the best run support of any National League pitcher this season. The Cubs averaged 6.8 runs during his 31 starts. When they scored at least three, Arrieta was 18-4.

---

8:20 p.m.

The Cubs wasted little time getting to Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin.

Chicago touched up Tomlin for three runs in the first inning, all with two outs. Kris Bryant hit a 433-foot homer to left field, putting Chicago up 1-0. It was the first home run off Tomlin this year on an 0-2 count.

Bryant also homered in Game 5 in Chicago on Sunday night to help the Cubs stave off elimination.

Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist followed with singles and both came home on Addison Russell's pop-fly double to right-center. The ball fell between center fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall when they failed to communicate properly.

---

6:55 p.m.

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon looks back fondly on the last team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series to win Game 7 on the road.

Maddon grew up in eastern Pennsylvania but was captivated by the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, who stormed back to top the Baltimore Orioles in seven games to win it all.

The Pirates rallied around the disco song ''We Are Family'' and rode the play of stars Dave Parker and Willie Stargell. They did it in style, too, wearing bright yellow jerseys and striped caps that the Pirates even used as their throwbacks during Sunday home games this season.

Maddon said he was never really a Pirates fan but he loved the uniform. He also remembers the team being tight knit, not unlike this group of Cubs who have reached the Fall Classic for the first time since 1945.

---

6:30 p.m.

Joe Maddon wants the Cleveland Indians to pitch to slugger Kyle Schwarber.

The Cubs manager is hoping that bumping Schwarber up to second in the lineup will do the trick.

Schwarber hit fifth in Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland as the designated hitter, going 3 for 7 with two RBIs in his first major league game since April. He made only one plate appearance in Chicago as a pinch hitter because his surgically repaired left knee hasn't been cleared to play defense.

Maddon says that if he let Schwarber hit fifth again, he doesn't think the Indians would pitch to him at all. By putting Schwarber in the second spot, Schwarber has protection because he's hitting in front of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist.

---

5:45 p.m.

Terry Francona's first two managing jobs in the major leagues were Philadelphia and Boston, cities not exactly known for their hospitality.

The Indians manager joked that the next obvious stop would have been Beirut. Francona says there were a lot of times when he thought his name was ''You suck!'' because he heard it so often from the Red Sox and Philly faithful during tough times.

Instead, Francona ended up in Cleveland, about two hours from where he grew up in western Pennsylvania. Now in his fourth year, Francona says he sees a lot of similarities between the city and the team he's led to the brink of a championship.

Francona says ''the city kind of reminds me of our team a little bit. They got pushed around, now they're starting to push back, and I'm happy for them.''

---

5:25 p.m.

Tuesday night isn't the first time Indians manager Terry Francona has been looking for a little bit of magic in Game 6 of a World Series.

Francona joked that he once won a stash of cash when Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk hit his famous home run off the foul pole in the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series to give the Red Sox a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds, forcing a Game 7.

Francona says that when the ball hit the foul pole, he ''went bananas.'' When his father mentioned that he didn't know his son was a Red Sox fan, Francona replied: ''I'm not. I had the (final score) at school. I won $100.''

---

4:50 p.m.

Indians manager Terry Francona could run for mayor and win. Not everyone in Cleveland knows his face, though.

Before heading to Progressive Field earlier than usual on game day, Francona, who typically rides a scooter to the ballpark, was helping one of the employees at the hotel where he stays while in Cleveland. The worker had no idea she was talking to someone famous.

''She said: `Man, this place is crazy. Who do you want to win?''' Francona said.

He said he looked at her with a straight face and said, ''I'll go with the Indians.''

Francona will win his third World Series title if the Indians can finish off the Chicago Cubs. He captured two championships with Boston, helping the Red Sox end an 86-year Series drought in 2004.

---

3:55 p.m.

Carlos Santana is back at the top of Cleveland's lineup.

After playing two games in left field and one at first in Chicago, Santana is batting first as the designated hitter. Back home at Progressive Field, the Indians return to playing under American League rules.

Manager Terry Francona also put Game 3 hero Coco Crisp in left field and moved Tyler Naquin to center, bumping Rajai Davis out of the lineup. Crisp's pinch-hit RBI provided the only run in Cleveland's 1-0 win in Game 3. His only start of the series came in Game 2 against Chicago's Jake Arrieta, who will take the mound for the Cubs Tuesday night.

Cleveland right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall will bat sixth after dealing with some stomach discomfort before Game 5 on Sunday in Chicago.

---

3:30 p.m.

Kyle Schwarber is batting second for the Chicago Cubs in Game 6 of the World Series.

Schwarber injured a knee on April 7, had surgery to repair torn ligaments and was out until the Series opener. He batted fifth as the designated hitter in the first two games against Cleveland. Because he does not have medical clearance to play the field, he was limited to pinch hitting in the three games at Chicago. Overall, he is 3 for 8 in the Series with a double, two walks and two RBIs.

Center fielder Dexter Fowler remains in the leadoff spot, followed by Schwarber at DH, third baseman Kris Bryant, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, left fielder Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell, catcher Willson Contreras, right fielder Jayson Heyward and second baseman Javier Baez. Game 2 winner Jake Arrieta is on the mound.

Heyward is making his third straight start after a four-game benching. He was 2 for 31 (.033) with one RBI in the postseason before getting two hits in Game 3. He is 3 for 11 in the Series.

---

2:35 p.m.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon can ditch the stocking cap for Game 6. The World Series has heated up.

The temperature is expected to be in the 70s when the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs play Tuesday night at Progressive Field, which was bathed in sunshine in the hours leading up to first pitch.

For Game 5 at Chicago's Wrigley Field, Maddon donned a blue ski cap as the Cubs rallied on a chilly night to win 3-2 and extend their season. It was 43 degrees at first pitch that night and whipping winds made it feel much colder.

The Indians will gladly take the warm weather. Their season opener on April 4 at Progressive Field against the Boston Red Sox was postponed by snow.

Seven months later, on Nov. 1, Cleveland is enjoying unusually warm autumn weather.

share

Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

National Basketball Association