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World Series Game 1: Cleveland Indians Beat Chicago Cubs 6-0

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

OK, one game does not decide a World Series. But if you're one game into a World Series, you'd much rather have won it than lost it. The Cleveland Indians beat the Cubs last night 6-0. It happened on the same night that the Cleveland Cavaliers raised their NBA championship banner. NPR's Tom Goldman reports from the city to be in for sports last night.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: It all came together literally on a small side street in downtown Cleveland. Blocked off to car traffic, 6th Street runs next to The Q - Quicken Loans Arena - home of the NBA's Cavaliers, and into Progressive Field, home of the Indians. Yesterday in the early evening, 6th Street was a scene.

And you have fans here wearing all kinds of Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers garb. Some are mixing and matching. People are walking all directions.

Clevelander Jeff Lutz wore a Cavs baseball cap, an Indians jacket, a Cavs T-shirt and, under that, a gray Indians T-shirt that he hadn't washed the entire postseason. He was layered and nearly speechless.

JEFF LUTZ: It's hard to describe. I've never in my entire life thought that we would be celebrating these kinds of events in one - in one night. It is - it's hard to put words to.

GOLDMAN: The last Cleveland pro sports championship before the Cavs in June was the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 1964. Jeff Lutz was born in 1965. So when he says, never in my entire life, he literally means it.

LUTZ: Just very, very proud, and I'm glad that my children can see this as well.

GOLDMAN: On this night of sports riches, Lutz chose to see the Cavs get their championship rings and banner. He was too late to snag a baseball ticket - too bad.

(CHEERING)

GOLDMAN: Over at Progressive, the cheering started early - first inning, in fact. That's when the Indians jumped on Chicago's starting pitcher, Jon Lester, for two quick runs. The game unfolded exactly as Cleveland wanted - an early lead, great starting pitching from ace Corey Kluber.

He held the Cubs scoreless on four hits in six innings, and vaunted relief pitchers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen sealing the win. That early 2-0 lead swelled to 6-0 by game's end, thanks to catcher Roberto Perez. His two homeruns made him the first Cleveland player to hit multiple homers in a World Series game.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Roberto, I just wanted to ask you, what was your feeling after the second homer? I mean, how long has it been since you had a night like that?

ROBERTO PEREZ: Oh, I don't think I've ever had a night like that.

(SOUNDBITE OF FIREWORKS)

GOLDMAN: At game's end, the fireworks display perhaps was excessive after just one win. But with Cleveland sports, you celebrate when you can, and last night, they could. Tom Goldman, NPR News, Cleveland. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Tom Goldman is NPR's sports correspondent. His reports can be heard throughout NPR's news programming, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and on NPR.org.

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