No pressure, but history says Game 2 crucial for Cubs

CLEVELAND — Each of the past 14 times the home team took Game 1 of the World Series, that team hoisted a championship trophy in the end. If the Cubs want to snap that streak after a 6-0 loss to Corey Kluber, Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and the Indians on Tuesday, the historical record suggests they would do well to win Game 2.

According to Elias, in best-of-seven World Series that followed a 2-3-2 format, teams that lost Games 1 and 2 on the road came back to win the Series just seven of 38 times, or 18 percent. Road teams that managed a split increased their chances to 22 of 49 times, or 45 percent. It’s the difference between very long odds and nearly even money.

• Game 2: Today, 7 p.m. ET game time on FOX (6 p.m. ET pregame show on FS1)

Chicago’s hopes to avoid an 0-2 hole will ride on the right arm of Jake Arrieta, scheduled to start Wednesday opposite Cleveland’s Trevor Bauer.

Game Date Time (air time/game time) Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 25   CLE 6, CHC 0 Gm 2 Oct. 26 7 p.m. (6 p.m. pregame show on FS1) CHC @ CLE FOX Gm 3 Oct. 28 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CLE @ CHC FOX Gm 4 Oct. 29 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CLE @ CHC FOX *Gm 5 Oct. 30 8 p.m. CLE @ CHC FOX *Gm 6 Nov. 1 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CHC @ CLE FOX *Gm 7 Nov. 2 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. CHC @ CLE FOX * If necessary | All times listed ET • World Series coverageShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Indians

“We’re not going to go press,” said Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber, who went 1-for-3 with a long double and a big walk in his first Major League game since the first week of April. “We’re not going to put all this pressure on [ourselves] because we think we need to win ballgames. We’re a good baseball club. We’re here for a reason. So go out there, play our game, we’ll be fine.”

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