Opinion

The Cleveland Indians grabbed a 2-1 lead in the World Series on Friday night with a dramatic 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The win also restored the home-field advantage the American League champions had lost by dropping Game 2 at Progressive Field.

The World Series between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs rolls on Saturday night from Wrigley Field with the Indians looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead following their tension-filled victory in Game 3.

CHICAGO — Nervous time showed up late to the Wrigleyville party Friday night. It arrived unexpectedly and under the cover of darkness.

All day, starting at daybreak, the denizens of Chicago Cubs baseball poured into this neighborhood with great expectations. They were drinking beer at 5 a.m. They crowded the streets. They sang. They chanted.

Terry Francona walked to the mound, and Chicago Cubs fans around the world thought the Cleveland Indians manager was doing them a favor.

Some favor.

Josh Tomlin was cruising Friday at Wrigley Field, two outs into the fifth inning of a scoreless game. The Cubs had two hits, both singles. Tomlin had thrown just 58 pitches.

Kyle Hendricks might win the National League Cy Young Award. He's MLB's reigning ERA king. By any measure, 2016 has been a very good year for the Chicago Cubs right-hander.

On Friday, he has a chance to cement his breakout season and go from very good to immortal by pitching the Cubbies to the championship brink.

In front of what promises to be a raucous Wrigley Field crowd, the Chicago Cubs will look to take a 2-1 lead over the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the 2016 World Series on Friday night.

CHICAGO — The old girl is dressed to the nines. Wrigley Field, on deck to host her first World Series game Friday night since Oct. 10, 1945, is crackling with energy.

The World Series is returning to Chicago's North Side for the first time since 1945. That's the lead storyline ahead of Friday's pivotal Game 3, which is scheduled to be aired at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

Here's an intriguing subplot: Unlikely Cubs offensive catalyst Kyle Schwarber will be on the bench.

The Chicago Cubs tied the World Series at one game apiece with a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 2 on Wednesday, which means it is now a best-of-five battle to see who emerges as champions.

A question for the Cleveland Indians: You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?

Actually, it's understandable if they thought winning their first World Series since 1948 would be that easy. After all, they encountered little resistance in winning seven of eight games against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays to get to the World Series. When they won Game 1 on Tuesday, they put themselves on a path that usually leads to victory.