Levine: Cubs' Jon Lester Looks To Stave Off Indians, Elimination

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Left-hander Jon Lester will take the mound as the Cubs look to stave off elimination in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night, when the Indians try to make their own history.

Lester will be making his fifth World Series start. He's 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA on this big stage, including a Game 1 loss. Taking the ball in such moments is the reason the Cubs brought him to Chicago on a $155-million deal.

"As a pitcher, you really can't take it any different than than any other start," Lester said."I think you have to have the same mindset going into it. I think if you are going in there down 3-1 in a Series and you say you have to do this and have to do that to stay alive, I think you're already kind of beaten. At that point, you're not worried about the right thing."

The Cubs offense has been sporadic in postseason and mostly invisible in the World Series Manager Joe Maddon had individual meetings before Game 5.

His goal? Implore his players to look for one pitch at a time.

"Joe and the coaches will not overload any of the players," a Cubs insider said. "He knows what makes his players tick."

Madon admitted that he will have some talks with a few key guys.

"The strikeout is so prevalent right now," Maddon said. "The ability to move the baseball (hit to the opposite field) will come back, I believe. We have shown flashes of using the the other side. We need a flash right now. I don't expect their pitching to change. We have to adjust back at them."

The last team to win the World Series after being down 3-1 was the 1985 Kansas City Royals.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.