Hi all.   Here’s how I see baseball on this Halloween, Monday Oct. 31.

Whichever long-suffering fan base gets to celebrate this year, somebody’s party  will take place  on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.  The Cubs assured that by taking a 3-2 victory in game 5, keeping themselves in the mix.  They still trail 3 games to 2, but with Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks slated to pitch in Cleveland, they have as good a chance as a team can have who were down 3 games to 1 as play started last night.

When Jose Ramirez homered to give the Indians a 1-0 lead Sunday  night at Wrigley Field, the former Federal League park was as quiet as the tombs that have replaced all of the game’s other old ballparks except Fenway. Before the game began, Anthony Rizzo turned up the music from the 1976 movie “Rocky,” in the home team clubhouse and later it was played on the public-address system throughout the ballpark. The Indians’ Trevor Bauer struck out 5 of the first 10 men he saw, but ran into major trouble in the 4th and left having given up a 3-run rally that was all the runs the Cubs would need. Chris Bryant woke up the crowd at long last, unloading a game-tying home run in the 4th.  Through games 3 and 4 they had been the quiest group of over 41,000 per game you would ever hope to hear. They had a chance to roar as 4 of the next 5 Cubs’ hitters registered base hits following Bryant’s long ball. Addison Russell singled home the go-ahead run and the third run came on a scoring fly ball hit by David Ross, who has already announced his retirement following this season. Though the Tribe cut the lead to a run, Aroldis Chapman pitched what is today an unheard-of 8-out save, something Tug McGraw, Sparky Lyle or Rich Gossage would have done routinely. With Cody Allen unavailable, Indians’ manager Terry Francona had to use his own closer Cody Allen harder than he might have wished. With the day off today, both Miller and Allen will be at their manager’s beck and call if needed for action tomorrow night.