CHICAGO (AP) The Latest on The World Series (all times local):
3:54 p.m.
Fans milling around Wrigley Field are writing chalk messages of encouragement for the Cubs on the walls outside the ballpark’s famed bleachers.
Chicago trails Cleveland 3-1 heading into Game 5 on Sunday night.
”WE NEVER QUIT,” BELIEVE,” and ”WIN FOR GRANDMA NORRIS,” are among the messages scrawled on the brick walls. Several fans stopped to take pictures or video of the scene with their phones.
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3:50 p.m.
Mike Napoli is back in Cleveland’s starting lineup for Game 5 and Carlos Santana is back in left field.
Manager Terry Francona sat Napoli in Game 4 as the Indians took a 3-1 lead in the World Series with a 7-2 win on Saturday night over the Chicago Cubs. He played Santana instead at first and the slugger responded by hitting a home run.
Santana started Game 3 in left – his first career start at the position – and played five innings before he was replaced. He caught the only fly ball hit to him on a gusty night in Wrigley Field.
Napoli, who had started Cleveland’s first 11 games of the postseason, pinch-hit in the eighth inning of Game 4 and flew out to the warning track in center.
With a chance for the Indians to win their first World Series title since 1948, Francona is going with the same lineup he used in Game 1 against Cubs left-hander Jon Lester. Rajai Davis is batting leadoff and playing center and Brandon Guyer is in right.
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After getting a pair of hits in Game 4, slumping Jason Heyward remained in the Chicago Cubs’ starting lineup for World Series Game 5.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon inserted catcher David Ross into Sunday’s lineup in place of Willson Contreras. The 39-year-old Ross, who is retiring, usually catches pitcher Jon Lester.
Heyward, in his first season with the Cubs after signing a $184 million, eight-year contract, was 2 for 31 (.033) with one RBI in the postseason before going 2 for 4 Saturday in Chicago’s 7-2 loss.
Center fielder Dexter Fowler led off, followed by third baseman Kris Bryant, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, left fielder Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell, Heyward in right field, second baseman Javier Baez, Ross and Lester.
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3:05 p.m.
A pair of World Series losses for the Chicago Cubs has led to a drop in the asking prices for Game 5.
About 4+ hours before the scheduled start of Sunday night’s game against Cleveland, asking prices on StubHub started at $748.
Before Game 3 at Wrigley Field on Friday, the lowest asking price was $1,019. The Indians led the Series 3-1, needing one win for their first title since 1948.
Atmosphere outside the century-old North Side ballpark also was dampened, with only a few people outside Murphy’s Bleachers rather than a lengthy line.
After a pair of relatively warm days, the temperature had dropped into the low 50s Sunday afternoon with a stiff wind.
The Cubs last won the Series in 1908.
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