Driven to the brink of a crushing World Series defeat on Saturday, the Chicago Cubs pledged to mount a backs-to-the-wall rally in Game Five to keep their slim hopes alive.

The 7-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field left the Cubs 3-1 behind in the best-of-seven Fall Classic, needing three successive wins to claim their first championship since 1908.

The Cubs won three in a row to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, having come back from 2-1 down.

"We've done it before," said third baseman Kris Bryant. "So we could do it again for sure."

But the stakes are higher this time round and the chips stacked against them.

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Only six teams have fought back from 3-1 down to win the World Series, the last in 1985 when the Kansas City Royals overhauled the St. Louis Cardinals.

"Obviously there is urgency," he added. "We have to win every game the rest of the way out."

The Cubs were handily beaten by the Indians despite scoring first and the atmosphere in their clubhouse was borderline funereal.

"They had an answer for our (opening) run, we got a little momentum but they answered back," right fielder Jason Heyward said. "It's tough to maintain momentum when they keep it going. We've done it to teams all year." 

But first baseman Anthony Rizzo said the "bottom line" was a win on Sunday.

"It's just come in, do everything we can to win the ball game tomorrow and we'll figure it out from there," Rizzo said. "Our backs are against the wall, but we'll come out playing."