World Series Game 3: Chicago Cubs Host Cleveland Indians With Early Start Time In Wind Storm

World Series Game 3 between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians takes place Friday night (Oct. 28). The start time for Game 3 of the World Series is at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET but with a local time of 7 p.m. CT for the home crowd. After splitting the first two games of the series, the Cubs have stolen home field advantage away from the Indians. As the updated schedule outlines, the next three games of the 2016 World Series will take place at Wrigley Field.

Josh Tomlin (13-9, 4.40) takes the mound for the Indians, while Kyle Hendricks (16-8, 2.13) gets the call for the Cubs. Tomlin has made two postseason starts for the Indians, going 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 10 2/3 innings of work. Hendricks has three starts for the Cubs this postseason, sporting a 1.65 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and a 1-1 record so far.

World Series Game 3 will mark the first time since 1945 that the Fall Classic has paid a visit to Wrigley Field. The 71-year span has been a long wait for die-hard Cubs fans, but the home crowd is now guaranteed three games in Chicago. The possibility also exists that the Cubs could sweep the home games and celebrate a World Series title with a victory in Game 5.

The weather for Game 3 calls for winds that will blow toward the outfield at 15-20 miles per hour. This could turn Wrigley Field into a launching pad for hitters, possibly giving the home run-hitting Cubs a small advantage. During the 2016 MLB season, the Cubs hit 199 home runs, compared to the 185 homers by the Indians. Both teams have shown in the postseason that they can score runs as needed.

As for the two starting pitchers, Josh Tomlin allowed 36 home runs during the regular season, the most he has allowed over his seven-year Major League career. Kyle Hendricks only allowed 15 home runs, as he pitched 190 strong innings during the season. Tomlin posted a 4.40 ERA, while Hendricks was at 2.13 for the 2016 MLB season. Now, both pitchers will be tasked with keeping the ball in the park on Friday night.

Following World Series Game 3 on Friday night, the teams will play the next two on Saturday (Oct. 29) and Sunday (Oct. 30) with the same start times. It has been announced that the Cleveland Indians will put Corey Kluber on the mound again in Game 4, as he will go up against John Lackey of the Chicago Cubs. The starting pitchers for Game 5 have not yet been announced by the teams, as it could depend on how the first two games play out this weekend.

Should the teams need to play deeper into the 2016 World Series, Game 6 would be on Tuesday (Nov. 1) in Cleveland, followed by Game 7 also taking place in Cleveland on Wednesday (Nov. 2). The current start times for those two potential games is 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. All games for this World Series will take place on FOX, with the same announcing group scheduled for each evening.

Behind a stellar performance by Corey Kluber, the Cleveland Indians won Game 1 of the World Series 6-0. Jon Lester was on the mound for the Chicago Cubs, but he had early struggles that allowed the Indians to get on the scoreboard quickly. In Game 2, the Cubs struck back, supporting an equally strong performance by Jake Arrieta to beat Trevor Bauer 5-1. The series is tied 1-1 as the teams leave Cleveland and head to the ivy of Wrigley Field.

A lot will likely be made of the weather as the announcers begin coverage on Friday night (Oct. 28), but both teams will be playing in the same wind storm. For baseball fans who want to see a lot of offense, the potential is there for a lot of home runs during World Series Game 3.

[Featured Image by Jamie Squire/Getty Images]