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it just wasnt happening for Spurs in the final from corse178's blog

Go inside the numbers and matchups that will decide Saturday nights showdown between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 of the World Series, and then vote for which team will win at the bottom of the page. Kareem Hunt Chiefs Jersey . The Indians lead the series 2-1.How we got hereThe first 1-0 World Series game since 2005 was a tense affair that came down to Cody Allen striking out Javier Baez on a high, 2-2 fastball with the winning run in scoring position. The Indians became the first team with five shutouts in one postseason (and the Cubs became the second team to be blanked four times). The Cubs went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and the Indians went 1-for-5 -- Coco Crisp dropping a little flair into right field in the seventh for the games only run.?-- David SchoenfieldInside the pitching matchupWhen Corey Kluber is on the mound: Kluber is making his fifth postseason start and second on three days rest. He has given up two runs in 24? innings, surrendered only one home run, held batters to a .193 average and struck out 30 percent of the batters he has faced. In other words, hes going for a Madison Bumgarner-type run here.In Game 1, Kluber had pinpoint command of his two-seam fastball, getting it to run on the inside corner to left-handed batters. Case in point: He got Anthony Rizzo, who popped up eight times all season, to pop up three times with inside fastballs. How effective has that fastball been in the playoffs? Lets check the numbers:Regular season: .274/.350/.483Postseason: .175/.267/.225Wow. Kluber is throwing it just as often as he did in the regular season -- 49 percent versus 51 percent -- although with much greater effectiveness. He normally throws that pitch inside 30 percent of the time; the number was 42 percent in Game 1. But he could change plans in Game 4: Against the Blue Jays and Red Sox, he worked the outer half of the plate more often.Those two-seamers and cutters set up his great breaking ball -- a sweeping curve/slider hybrid that held batters to a .115 average and has been one of the most dominant pitches in the game the past few seasons. The other thing that made him effective in Game 1 was that he often pitched backward -- starting off with an offspeed pitch and then going to the cutter or two-seamer with two strikes. The Cubs best hope might be that hes not as sharp on three days rest (the two runs he gave up came on his other short-rest start against the Blue Jays). -- SchoenfieldWhen John Lackey is on the mound: Hes making his 23rd career postseason start but went only four innings in each of his two outings this postseason, giving up 10 hits, five runs and five walks. Unless hes dealing, you have to think Joe Maddon will be looking at another quick hook, especially with the Cubs trailing in the series.Lackey still has good stuff, even after turning 38 a few days ago, as he recorded a career-high strikeout rate. He comes at batters with a four-seam fastball at 91-92 mph that he moves around the strike zone, plus a slider, curve and occasional changeup. The slider that dives off the outside corner to righties is his go-to wipeout pitch, especially against righties, who hit .122 against it. He doesnt throw it as often to lefties, but they hit just .133 against it. Overall, righties had a .251 OBP compared to .322 against lefties, so Terry Francona might go with Carlos Santana again in left field to get another left-handed bat in there. -- SchoenfieldPlayer in the spotlightKris Bryant. Or pick the Cubs offensive player of your choice. Dexter Fowler has a .263 OBP in the postseason. Rizzo has a .298 OBP. Addison Russell had those big home runs against the Dodgers but is hitting .167 with one walk and 11 strikeouts. Bryant, however, is the guy who will win the NL MVP award. He has had a solid postseason with a .280/.368/.440 line, but he also has hit only one home run in 13 games. In a postseason that hasnt featured much offense -- teams are hitting a collective .219 -- home runs are vital. The Cubs could use one from their big slugger. -- SchoenfieldDid you know ...Kluber in Game 1 became the 12th pitcher to throw at least six scoreless innings against the Cubs this season. Of the previous 11, only three faced the Cubs again later in the season (Jimmy Nelson, Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw). They combined to go 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in the start following the scoreless outing.?-- Lee Singer,?ESPN Stats & InformationWhat will decide the game Saturday nightThe formula for the Indians this postseason has been to get an early lead and bring Andrew Miller in to shut the door. With Miller throwing only 17 pitches in Game 3, he should be available to pitch multiple innings again in Game 4.The Indians are 8-0 when scoring first this postseason and 1-2 when they dont. The Cubs are 7-1 when scoring first and 1-4 when their opponent does. So an early lead for either team would go a long way toward bringing home a victory in Game 4. --?SingerThe man in blue: Marvin HudsonHudson calls strikes slightly less frequently than his peers, but he rates close to average (30th out of 80). The one area in which he favors the pitcher is on pitches that are on the inside corner to a right-handed hitter. He tends to call strikes often there.However, neither Kluber nor Lackey comes inside often. They both ranked in the bottom 15 among ERA-title qualifiers in terms of frequency of throwing an inside pitch. The area in which Hudson is a less-likely strike caller is at the top of the zone. That could be notable for Indians catcher Roberto Perez, in that Perezs greatest strength is getting the high strike call.One thing to keep an eye on for Lackey is if hes getting calls at the bottom of the strike zone (all three Cubs catchers are good at that).With regard to Kluber, remember that his 45 percent called-strike rate in Game 1 was his third-highest in a start this season. Kluber consistently got calls on close pitches from Larry Vanover. The Cubs took nine pitches that are historically called strikes 50 to 75 percent of the time. He got eight called strikes on those nine pitches -- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & InfoChoosing sides: Who will win?The Cubs like to trumpet their ability to get better the more they see a pitcher, and they certainly proved they could do it against an ace last round with Kershaw. Kluber was terrific in Game 1, but the Cubs had some quality at-bats and hell be hard-pressed to paint the corners as effectively. But basically, I just cant see the Cubs losing two in a row at home to fall behind 3-1. Chicago gets even.? -- Bradford DoolittleSo now that the World Series is upside down, it only makes sense the Cubs will beat Kluber after losing with their ace on the mound Friday. Having better success against a pitcher theyve seen recently has been a trend with them all season, so this time theyll scratch just enough across to beat the Indians and even the series 2-2.?-- Jesse RogersThe Cubs won 103 games this season for a reason, and they have every right to believe Cleveland cant just walk into Wrigley Field and take two straight. But the Indians are now 9-2 in the postseason, and they radiate a sense of belief in themselves. Theyre about as loose as a team can get under circumstances this intense, and theyre never more confident than when Kluber is on the mound. I think Kluber, Miller and Allen get the job done and the Indians win again to put the Cubs in a major hole.?-- Jerry CrasnickWhere the series standsThe odds have swung from 61 percent Cubs winning before Game 3 to 59 percent Indians winning entering Game 4 (according to FanGraphs). Miller threw only 17 pitches in Game 3, so hes available for multiple innings if needed (and if Francona can work around having to pinch hit for him). Both managers emptied their benches in Game 3; Id expect the same thing in Game 4 as these low-scoring games in NL parks turn into chess matches. The Cubs are the heavy favorites in Game 5 with Trevor Bauer slated to face Jon Lester, but they dont want to go back to Cleveland needing two wins.?-- Schoenfield Patrick Mahomes II Youth Jersey . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. Patrick Mahomes II Chiefs Jersey . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. http://www.chiefsstoreauthentic.com/authentic-kareem-hunt-chiefs-jersey/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Victor Wanyamas debut goal snatched victory as Tottenham Hotspur beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at White Hart Lane on Saturday.Despite controlling large chunks of the first half, it just wasnt happening for Spurs in the final third. Vincent Janssen went closest, as his follow-up to Harry Kanes deflected grass-trimmer was smartly smothered by Wayne Hennessey.Lax passing and a lack of composure was Spurs downfall in the first period, Palace often let off the hook by a careless error.The second half was much of the same, and it looked like Spurs had spurned one chance too many when Janssen missed a sitter after DDele Alli sent him clean through with a deft pass. Patrick Mahomes II Jersey. However, a lapse in concentration allowed Wanyama to bundle home after Kane nodded a lofty corner forward deep into the second half.Neither manager will be overly impressed. For all their ventures into opposition territory, Spurs rarely troubled Hennessey. As for Palace, theyre going to need to find some attacking inspiration from somewhere if they are to survive in an increasingly competitive division this term. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '

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