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Francona improves flawless World Series record to 9-0

Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / Getty

If the Cleveland Indians are really desperate for a starter later on in the World Series, they ought to consider sending Terry Francona to the mound. The guy never loses, after all.

With a 6-0 win Tuesday over the Chicago Cubs in Game 1, the Indians grabbed an early lead in the best-of-seven showdown and helped Francona make history in the process, as he became the first manager ever to win his first nine World Series games. In the four major North American professional sports, no other coach has won that many games in the title round without a loss.

In 2004, his first season with Boston, Francona famously helmed the Red Sox club that reversed the curse, helping them overcome a (historically insurmountable) 3-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series before watching them sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series for their first championship in 86 years.

Date Gm # @ Score WP
Oct. 23 Game 1 Fenway Park 11-9 Keith Foulke
Oct. 24 Game 2 Fenway Park 6-2 Curt Schilling
Oct. 26 Game 3 Busch Stadium 4-1 Pedro Martinez
Oct. 27 Game 4 Busch Stadium 3-0 Derek Lowe

Three years later, Francona and the Red Sox returned to the Fall Classic and swept the Colorado Rockies, outscoring them 29-10 in four games.

Date Gm # @ Score WP
Oct. 24 Game 1 Fenway Park 13-1 Josh Beckett
Oct. 25 Game 2 Fenway Park 2-1 Curt Schilling
Oct. 27 Game 3 Coors Field 10-5 Daisuke Matsuzaka
Oct. 28 Game 4 Coors Field 4-3 Jon Lester

On Tuesday, Francona - in his fourth season with Cleveland - extended his streak to nine games as the Indians, propelled by a dominant outing from Corey Kluber and a pair of homers from Roberto Perez, stifled the Cubs 6-0.

With a win Wednesday in Game 2, Francona would become only the third manager ever to put together a winning streak of at least 10 games in the World Series, joining Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy and Joe Torre. Torre, a four-time World Series champion, owns the all-time record for consecutive managerial wins in the Fall Classic, having overseen 14 straight victories from 1996-2000.

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