CHICAGO: The die-hard Cubs fan in Jason Kipnis was hoping they'd throw his ball back.
That what he's seen spectators in Wrigley Field do since he was a kid, idolizing Ryne Sandberg and rushing to the television every time Sammy Sosa came up to bat. Growing up in Northbrook, Ill., about 30 minutes from the historic park, Kipnis was torn at first when he watched the Cubs win the National League pennant and become the Indians Indians' opponent in the World Series.
But he seems to be over that now. On Saturday night, the 29-year-old Tribe second baseman went out and delivered what might turn out to be the Series' crushing blow.
Kipnis smashed a three-run homer to right field in the seventh inning that sent the Indians to a 7-2 victory in Game 4 and gave the Tribe a 3-1 series lead. One victory away from the Indians' first World Series championship since 1948, the clincher could come Sunday night at Wrigley.
Kipnis connected on a 3-1 pitch from Travis Wood to put the Indians up 7-1. But this was no ordinary homer, not with all his friends and family members in the stands. Kipnis said he bought only eight tickets, but saw many familiar faces, including a couple of his best friends who will also be coming Sunday.
"It was special," Kipnis said. "A Wrigley home run, a World Series home run, there's so many things I could check off that makes that one a special swing for me."
As he rounded the bases, Kipnis pointed to his family.
"It’s kind of dark butI knew where they were sitting and I saw the red towels," he said.
In the interview room, Kipnis said he couldn't reveal the words that were going through his mind because "kids are watching this channel."
"But it's just excitement," he said. "I had a lot of joy in playing this game and to be put in a situation like this and actually have something happen like that is, for lack of a better term, a dream come true."
But there was another reason for those unmentionable words. Coming into the night, Kipnis was batting .167 in the postseason with two home runs and four RBI. He didn't feel like he was carrying his weight.
"To be able to help this offense, which I've been struggling to do up until this point, I think that was one of the bigger enjoyments for me, that I finally contributed," Kipnis said. "To kind of take some pressure off Corey and the rest of the staff, that they don't have to win a tight ballgame, that we could give them a cushion, was a really nice part."
On Saturday, Kipnis went 3 for 5 and said he found something at the plate.
"Kind of stayed through some balls a little bit better. The last at-bat was probably my best swing, obviously the home run. To go over the shortstop on a fastball away I was like, 'Oh, finally.' That's what I've been looking for. Will hopefully carry into tomorrow, hopefully won't forget it during sleep."
He also played solidly in the field after committing two errors in a 5-1 home loss in Game 2.
"We've been talking about it. He has a lot of people here, even when we play the White Sox a lot during the year," outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall said. "I know he's got quite the pass list going. I was happy to see him have three hits tonight, he played good defense. It's always fun to see him play good, especially when he helps his team out that much."
Experiencing his first World Series with his family by his side has been comforting, Kipnis said.
"It kinda dims the moment a little bit for me in a good way, where everything's not just bright lights and wide-eyed," he said. "I'm still grounded, I still have the people that mean most to me by my side. That they're sharing in this moment with me and this enjoyment makes that even more special for me."
Kipnis tried to take nothing for granted about what's in store Sunday. The Indians could be celebrating on the road, just as they have their American League Central Division title and in the first two rounds of the postseason.
"Not an ending yet. We’ve got one more to get and that’s probably going to be the hardest victory of the year," Kipnis said. "But this is a special night for me and this team. To take the first two here --- now we’ve got a couple tries to win one more. We’re ready to get it. But this is a fun one.
"This is what we live for. This kind of stage is what we all dream about. And to be able to do it for me personally with my family and friends here, I was smiling ear-to-ear on the inside."
But before he gets focused for Game 5, there is the little matter of his home run ball to attend to. Kipnis said he will try to get it back.
"I asked," he said. "I don't know how we go about asking that. I was hoping they threw it back. I was going to stop and pick it up."