World Series 2016: 5 reasons Cubs complete comeback

3. The bottom of the order plays small ball

The Cubs were fifth in the National League in home runs and fourth in slugging, so very little of their 103-win regular season is attributable to their ability to drop down a bunt or steal a base. In the postseason, however, scoring runs becomes much more difficult. Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist, and Anthony Rizzo have produced in the World Series, but the bottom of the order has struggled mightily.

The struggles have been so bad that there was little reason to expect that Addison Russell, Jason Heyward, and Javier Baez would find a way to capitalize on the first-and-third situation in the fourth inning of Game 5. A swinging bunt by Russell, a surprise drag bunt from Baez, and a sacrifice fly from David Ross plated two runs, and ultimately provided the margin of victory for the Cubs.

Baez, the co-MVP of the NLCS, has been abused by Cleveland pitchers because he cannot lay off the constant stream of curveballs in the dirt. The second baseman has struck out nine times in 21 at-bats. His decision to bunt with a runner already in scoring position could be looked at as passing the buck, but it was smart baseball.

The Cubs will need more of this style of baseball over the next two days if they are going to win the series. With only two games remaining in the season, the Indians will have all hands on deck in the bullpen, and will go to Andrew Miller at the earliest sign of trouble. Manufacturing runs played a big part in setting the Cubs back on the right track after falling behind in the NLCS, and they will have to continue finding creative ways to score to beat the Indians.