Whiffs and flyouts give way to fun 4th inning for Cubs in World Series Game 5 win

Save for some dazzling and goofy defensive plays, the Cubs’ first three innings Sunday could be summed up in a single word: dismal.

A parade of strikeouts and flyouts was interrupted by an Addison Russell single. And then, more strikeouts and flyouts.

Kris Bryant stepped to the plate to lead off the fourth. With the count 1-1, Fox analyst John Smoltz said, “You’ve got to put something on the board right here.”

As if wanting to make the Hall of Fame pitcher look like a sage, Bryant deposited a juicy, 92-mph fastball into the first row of the left-field bleachers. Wrigley Field erupted like a pot of water hitting 212 degrees.

The Cubs were on the board — and on their way to a 3-2 victory over the Indians in Game 5 of the World Series. No small accomplishment after scoring seven runs in the first four games.

It would prove to be the start of something big.

Anthony Rizzo pounded Trevor Bauer’s first-pitch fastball to deep right field. Rizzo thought it was gone. But the ball smacked off the wall, and Rizzo had to scoot into second to beat Brandon Guyer’s off-line throw.

“I did think it was gone,” Rizzo said, “and then I realized it wasn’t. I had to get on the horse there.”

Rizzo looked into the home dugout, shouted, “Let’s go!” and did a little shadow boxing, appropriate for a guy who walked to the plate to the theme from “Rocky.”

Ben Zobrist was up next. He failed to advance a runner Saturday night and looked angry enough to punch a wall. So, determined to atone, he lined a 3-0 pitch into right field. ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark pointed out that Zobrist had not swung 3-0 since April 20.

The Cubs than caught the kind of break you need to win tight games in October. With runners at first and third, Russell failed in his attempt to lay down a bunt. But then he hit a dribbler to third, the proverbial swinging bunt, and beat it out, scoring Rizzo.

With runners at first and second, it seemed like a fine time to have Jason Heyward try a sacrifice bunt. Instead, he whiffed for out No. 1.

Javy Baez looked at a first-pitch strike, devised a brilliant plan and then executed it even better. He laid down a bunt that was so perfect, it rated an 11. Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez collected it but made no throw. The bases were loaded.

Perhaps Joe Maddon was tempted to push all his chips in by summoning Kyle Schwarber from the bench. Instead David Ross, in his final game at Wrigley Field, stepped to the plate.

With Jon Lester on deck and the Cubs desperate for (at least) one more run, “Grandpa Rossy” came through, getting enough wood on a 2-2 fastball to loft it to left field for a sacrifice fly.

Lester struck out looking, ending the frame.

But that’s OK. Three runs seemed more like 30 for an offense that had been so dismal.

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Twitter @TeddyGreenstein

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