CLEVELAND (AP) — Josh Tomlin looked forward to Halloween and dressing up with his daughters, 2-year-old Makenzie Jae and 1-year-old Myla Kate. He jokes he might be “daddy piggy.”
With Cleveland anticipating the city’s first World Series championship since 1948 — and its first title clincher at home since 1920 — the Indians’ Game 6 starter is happy to be back home ahead of his outing against the Chicago Cubs tonight.
Chicago closed to 3-2 with Sunday’s win at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, who haven’t won it all since 1908, are trying to become the first team to overcome a 3-1 Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals and the first to do it by winning Games 6 and 7 on the road since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rather than celebrate in the cramped visitors’ clubhouse at Wrigley, the Indians are in position to party in their own digs at Progressive Field. Already, a makeshift shrine to Jobu, the Voodoo idol from the Cleveland clubhouse in the 1989 film “Major League,” has been erected in a stall between the lockers of Mike Napoli and Jason Kipnis.
Cleveland fans have missed out on being there for this year’s big events: First, the Cavaliers completed their NBA Finals comeback on the road, beating Golden State in Game 7 for the city’s first major pro sports championship in 52 years. Then, the Indians clinched the AL Central crown at Detroit, won the Division Series in Boston and the AL Championship Series at Toronto.
Jake Arrieta, who pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning to win Game 2, starts on five days’ rest for the Cubs against Tomlin, who will have had three days off since throwing 58 pitches in his Game 3 no-decision.
If the Cubs force Game 7, Kyle Hendricks would pitch on regular rest for Chicago against Corey Kluber, who would make another start on short rest and try to become the first pitcher to win three starts in one Series since Detroit’s Mickey Lolich in 1968.
Chicago delayed its charter flight to Cleveland until Monday night. In the Wrigley Field clubhouse, a message said: “Halloween costumes are encouraged on the plane.”
Indians manager Terry Francona is torn on what to do in left field.
The good thing is that Carlos Santana isn’t an option.
Francona was forced to start Santana, his regular designated hitter, twice in left at Wrigley Field, where Cleveland had to play under National League rules. Santana more than held his own in Games 3 and 5.
“I was really proud of him,” Francona said of Santana, who had only played four innings in left in his career before Game 5. “He’s come a long way. Took a lot of work in that four- or five-day span for him to be out there, and I thought it was pretty cool. I’ll be glad that we can DH somebody though.”
Francona is now trying to decide whether to play Coco Crisp or Rajai Davis in left for Game 6 against Chicago right-hander Jake Arietta. Davis had two hits and stole three bases in Game 5.
Francona said he’s leaning toward Crisp but wants to discuss it first with bench coach Brad Mills.