World Series

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 Chicago Cubs were flat as could be in Game 1 of the World Series, but the National League champions struck back with a statement in Game 2, tying up the Fall Classic with a convincing 5-1 win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.

And now that both sides have a victory under their belt, the scene will shift to Wrigley Field as the Cubs seek to protect home field and inch closer to their first world championship since 1908. 

It only feels right that the 2016 World Series is already a back-and-forth affair, considering the history hanging in the balance.

The Cleveland Indians struck first in Game 1 behind a gem from Corey Kluber and dominant bullpen pitching from Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. The Chicago Cubs bounced back in Game 2 after Jake Arrieta took a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

The Chicago Cubs bounced back from an abysmal Game 1 performance to beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 on Wednesday, leveling the 2016 World Series 1-1 as it heads to Wrigley Field.

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.

The Chicago Cubs had no reason to panic after losing Game 1. Although Jon Lester absorbed a defeat pitching against Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber, the Cubs had 2015 Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta on the mound in Game 2.

CLEVELAND — Don’t worry. Hitting savant Kyle Schwarber isn’t Superman all down the line. In some respects, he’s just like you and me.       

Take the private plane that winged him back to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, his first trip to the majors since the devastating knee injury in early April. OK, so the private plane part might not be like you and me. But the accompanying boredom was.

The postseason of the bullpens ran into an everlasting truth in the first two games of the World Series.

The team with the better starting pitcher still wins most games. And the team with more good starting pitchers has an edge over the team that doesn't have enough.

The Chicago Cubs tied the World Series with a 5-1 Game 2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

In a lengthy four-hour contest moved up due to weather concerns, the Cubs collected nine hits and eight walks. Every starter reached base, including Kyle Schwarber, who continued his highly improbable comeback with two RBI singles.

Despite struggling to throw strikes early, Jake Arrieta took a no-hitter into the sixth. He allowed one run over 5.2 frames to earn his first victory of the postseason.