par-3 17th to take a two-shot advantage to the final hole.

Go inside the numbers and matchups that will decide Wednesday nights showdown?between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the World Series, and then vote on which team will win at the bottom of the page. The series is tied 3-3.How we got hereAddison Russell belted a grand slam, Kris Bryant went 4-for-5 with a home run, Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-5 with a home run, Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall botched a fly ball that cost the Indians two runs, and everyone complained when Joe Maddon brought in?Aroldis Chapman?with a 7-2 lead in the seventh inning. The Cubs won 9-3 and will attempt to become the first road team to win Games 6 and 7 since the 1979 Pirates.?-- David SchoenfieldInside the pitching matchupWhen Kyle Hendricks is on the mound: The NLs ERA leader rarely hits 90 mph with his fastball and even has an above-average strikeout rate, but what made him so special in 2016 was his ability to limit hard contact. He led all starters in lowest well-hit average as batters hit only .207 against him overall and in the postseason theyre hitting .211/.278/.282. Maddon did pull him in Game 3 after 4? innings even though he hadnt given up a run.Hendricks relies on movement and command, as his average fastball velocity was 99th out of 104 right-handed starters, just below that of Indians Game 6 starter Josh Tomlin. No starter had a higher rate of first-pitch strikes and he pounds the corners while expertly changing speeds with a sinker, curveball, cutter and changeup. No starter had a higher percentage of pitches on the outer half of the plate than Hendricks, with 62 percent of his pitches on the outer third of the strike zone.In his Game 3 start, he continued his postseason trend of throwing fewer sinkers and more cutters. In the regular season, he threw that two-seamer nearly 50 percent of the time but has been below 40 percent in each of his four playoff starts, including 31 percent in Game 3. Some of that is simply the result of facing more left-handed batters -- they hit .341 off his fastball but just .222 against the cutter -- so look for a lot of cutters again with the Indians running out at least six lefties and switch-hitters.?-- SchoenfieldWhen Corey Kluber is on the mound: How good is this matchup? As Rany Jazayerli pointed out on Twitter, this is only the third Game 7 of the live ball era that features two starters who had 5-plus WAR that season. The others were Roger Clemens versus Curt Schilling in 2001, and John Tudor versus Bret Saberhagen in 1985. Kluber also is trying to become the first pitcher to start and win three games in the World Series since Mickey Lolich in 1968 and the first to win five games as a starter in a single postseason (Randy Johnson won five in 2001, but one in relief, and Francisco Rodriguez won five in 2002, all in relief).Kluber is making his second straight start on three days rest. He has given up three runs in 30? innings, surrendered only one home run, held batters to a .200 average, and struck out 29 percent of the batters he has faced. Terry Francona limited him to six innings in Games 1 and 4 (and fewer than 90 pitches each game), and with Andrew Miller lurking probably wont ask for more than that. In Game 1, he had pinpoint command of his two-seam fastball, getting it to run on the inside corner to left-handed batters. He wasnt quite so dominant with that pitch in Game 4, but it has been the key to his playoff run:Regular season: .274/.350/.483 Postseason: .188/.291/.250He actually changed his approach a bit in Game 4, throwing his hard curveball/slider hybrid more often, 35 times compared to only 30 fastballs. Thats one of the most dominant pitches in baseball, as batters hit .115 against it. The Cubs right-handed batters can certainly expect to see it a lot. Of course, one reason Kluber is so good is that he doesnt fall into patterns. In Game 1, he often pitched backward, starting off with a breaking ball and then going to the fastball or cutter with two strikes.?-- SchoenfieldPlayer in the spotlightAll of them! OK, how about Carlos Santana? In Clevelands three victories he has reached base seven times; in the three loses he has reached twice. Hell be in the leadoff spot and needs to get on base in front of Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor.?-- SchoenfieldDid you know ...The Cubs are the ninth team to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-1 in a best-of-seven World Series. Five of the previous eight went on to win the Series, including each of the last two (1979 Pirates, 1985 Royals). -- ESPN Stats & InformationWhat will decide the gameTeams are 5-0 this World Series when leading entering the sixth inning (Game 3 was tied 0-0). The Indians are 7-0 this postseason when leading entering the sixth inning, and the Cubs are 7-1.-- ESPN Stats & InfoThe man in blueSam Holbrook ranks as a less-likely strike caller than many other umpires, though hes not to the extremes of Joe West and Larry Vanover. Holbrook ranks as the 23rd least-likely out of 80 in terms of frequency of strike calling.Holbrooks tendencies for right-handed pitcherLeft-handed batter: He does not call the inside strike frequently at any height. He will call the low strike, particularly on, or just off, the outside corner -- which is very important for Hendricks and whoever is catching him. Holbrook does not call the high strike often relative to other umps.Right-handed batter: Holbrook will call the high strike, particularly the high-outside one (notable for the Kluber-Roberto Perez combo). He does not call the low strike often relative to other umps, except for a small patch at the knees on the inner half.Tendencies with a left-handed pitcherLeft-handed batter: He calls the pitches at the top and bottom borders of the strike zone often, relative to other umps. He does not call the high-and-inside or middle-away strike often, relative to others.Right-handed batter: He doesnt really have anywhere that he calls strikes a lot, but hes stingy with strike-calling at the bottom of the strike zone.Hendricks and Kluber both benefit from pitch framingThe two most notable things to be said on the Game 7 starters: During the regular season, Hendricks got more extra called strikes than any other pitcher in MLB. He got 65 more called strikes than what the average pitcher would have gotten on the same collection of pitches. Almost all of Hendricks extra strikes came from low pitches (as noted above, Holbrook has shown a willingness to call those against lefties).Once Kluber and Perez became a regular battery, Kluber began getting a lot of extra strikes. In fact, after the All-Star break he led AL pitchers in called strike rate above average.?-- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & InfoZiPS odds: Its a 50-50 gameThanks, ZiPS, for going out on a limb there on the projection. With a decimal point, ZiPS projects the game as 50.4 percent for Cleveland vs. 49.6 percent for Chicago, about as close to a coin flip as you can get. And isnt it fun to see a perfectly even matchup on the last day of the season for the World Series? Click here (Insider) for Dan Szymborskis full Game 7 preview.Who will win??Kluber has been Bob Gibsonesque, and if the Indians get an early lead, then their suddenly rested beast of a back-end bullpen comes into play and ... there still is no way Im picking against the Cubs. Hendricks will zoom in and keep the Indians to one or two or nothing for however long he goes, Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta will beef up the relief corps. The Cubs will be getting Kluber on short rest for the second straight turn while seeing him for a third time in a compressed time frame. The way the middle of the Cubs order is clicking will come into play in a major way. Get ready to party, Chicago, the drought is about to end. -- Bradford Doolittle Theres no stopping the Cubs now. Theyll rely on a rested Hendricks to outduel an overused Kluber and win a tight affair. It might come down to Chapman -- or Lester -- versus Andrew Miller, but the Cubs wont relinquish the lead. Theyll break their 108-year championship drought with a dramatic one-run victory.?-- Jesse Rogers?I will take the Indians to win Game 7. Kluber needs to go only five or six innings and hand a lead to Miller and Cody Allen, which could lead to bedlam in Cleveland. The city really felt as if it overcame a hurdle when the Cavaliers won in June. A loss in Game 7 would be devastating to the city. -- Andrew Marchand Everything now points toward the Cubs winning it all and the Indians blowing a 3-1 World Series lead and losing in typically agonizing Cleveland fashion. But I picked the Tribe in seven games before it began, and I dont feel comfortable bailing on them now. If Kluber can match Hendricks for five or six innings, Cleveland will ride Miller and Allen all the way to the finish line. Call me crazy, but I think the Indians scratch out a couple of early runs and cap their improbable run with a celebration at Progressive Field. -- Jerry CrasnickWhere the Series standsIts tied up! It certainly looks like a low-scoring game is in order. It will be fascinating to watch how the managers handle the middle innings -- dont be surprised if Lester is the first guy out of the Chicago bullpen. I do wonder if it will come down to the two big trade-deadline acquisitions. A rested Miller hasnt pitched since Game 4; Chapman has thrown 62 pitches in Games 5 and 6. Of course, maybe it goes extra innings. Can Cubs and Indians fans survive that??-- Schoenfield Nike Huarache Suomi . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Nike Air Force 1 Mid Kengät . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. http://www.airforce1suomi.com/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Air Force 1 Just Do It Suomi . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Air Force 1 Off White Suomi . Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th. MILTON KEYNES, England -- Ariya Jutanugarn was flirting with another Sunday meltdown, her six-stroke lead down to one after a double bogey on the par-4 13th at tree-lined Woburn.Her late collapse in the ANA Inspiration nearly as recent as her three straight LPGA Tour victories, the 20-year-old Thai player held on to win the Womens British Open for her first major title.I think everything in the past is good for me, because I learned a lot from that, Jutanugarn said. I know how to come back. I know how to be like patient. Feels like everybody going to have like bad times in their life and I think I have that already.Jutanugarn played the final five holes in 1 under for an even-par 72 and a three-stroke victory over American Mo Martin and South Koreas Mirim Lee. The winner finished at 16-under 272 on the Marquess Course, the hilly, forest layout that is a big change from the usual seaside layouts in the tournament rotation.The long-hitter left driver out of the bag and hammered 3-wood and 2-iron off the tee.Its in my locker. Hope nobody steal it, she said.In April at the ANA in the California desert, Jutanugarn -- at the time, best known for blowing a two-stroke lead with a closing triple bogey at age 17 in the 2013 LPGA Thailand -- bogeyed the final three holes to hand the major title to Lydia Ko.After ANA, Im still really nervous, Jutanugarn said. But Im pretty sure I learned a lot from that, also, because like after I feel nervous, I know what I have to do. Like last few holes, I tried to be patient and to commit to my shots.Jutanugarn rebounded in a breakthrough May, running off the three straight victories to become the LPGA Tours first Thai champion. Now, shes the first Thai major champion.I think its really important for me and for Thai golf, also, Jutanugarn said. After my firstt tournament on tour, my goal is I really want to win a major.dddddddddddd I did, so Im very proud of myself.Jutanugarn had a six-stroke lead over Lee at the turn, but Lee picked up five strokes on the next four holes with three straight birdies and Jutanugarns double bogey on the 13.I think I got mad after that hole, Jutanugarn said. Im like, `Oh, whats wrong with me. But after that, Im really like be patient and I can come back really good.Jutanugarn made a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th to take a two-shot advantage to the final hole. Jutanugarn closed with a par, and Lee made a bogey for a 73.Lee matched the tournament record Thursday with an opening 62 and also led after the second round.I really had fun, Lee said. That was the most important thing. I had fun throughout the whole thing.Martin, the 2014 winner at Royal Birkdale, shot a 70.That was my heart and my soul out there, Martin said. Thats all I had. I gave it everything I could.After opening with rounds of 65 and 69, Jutanugarn shot a bogey-free 66 on Saturday to pull two strokes ahead of Lee and break the tournament 54-hole record of 201.Jutanugarn is projected to jump from sixth to third in the world ranking Monday. A year ago, she was 52nd.She will return to Thailand for rest and practice before the Rio Olympics.Im really looking forward to it, Jutanugarn said. I cant wait. Im really excited about that.DIVOTS: Jutanugarns older sister, Moriya, had a 75 to tie for 43rd at 3 over. ... The top-ranked Ko tied for 40th at 1 under after a 74. ... Stacy Lewis was fourth at 11 under after her third straight 70. The American won in 2013 at St. Andrews. Shes winless in 57 starts since June 2014. ' ' '