Indians rip Cubs to reach brink of World Series title

Chicago : Moving within one victory of their first World Series title since 1948, the Cleveland Indians have long-suffering Chicago Cubs supporters on the verge of more misery and another heart-breaking failure.

Cleveland's Corey Kluber pitched superbly over six innings on short rest while Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana smashed home runs Saturday as the Indians routed the Cubs 7-2 to seize a 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final.

The Indians can end their epic title drought and extend the Cubs' epic 107-year futility streak by winning game five Sunday at Wrigley Field.

"We have to take tomorrow with the same approach we've taken every game to this point," Kluber said. "If we relax or take our foot off the gas pedal, that's just inviting them to get momentum and come back into the Series."

The Cubs, in their first World Series since 1945, are trying to end the longest title drought in American sports history, and the only one in baseball longer than that of the Indians, by capturing their first World Series since 1908.

"We're chasing it. We're still in there," Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler said. "This team is keeping its head up."

No Cleveland sports team had won a title in 52 years until the Cavaliers took the NBA crown in June. Now the city is on the brink of two championships in four months.

"We have a ways to go. We're not done. We still have work to do," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Nothing needs to change. They don't need a talking to. They're doing just fine. If they don't understand by now, they're probably not going to."

Teams with a 3-1 Series edge have won the crown 40 of 46 times, including 10 in a row, last failing in 1985 when Kansas City won the final three games to defeat St. Louis.

"It has been done before. It can happen. So there's no reason to stop now the things that we've been doing," Kipnis said. "The best thing to do is kind of put them away before they can (seize momentum)."