Chicago Cubs World Series: The Cubs are the champions!
The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians battled in an epic World Series Game 7, but the the Northsiders finally bring home a title.
Almost two weeks ago, I wrote the Chicago Cubs article that was 71 years in the making. They finally made it to the World Series. Tonight, I have the pleasure of writing the article that was 108 years in the making — the Cubs finally WON the World Series.
The longest title drought in sports history is over! The Chicago Cubs are atop the baseball world. Let the party begin.
Of course, these are the Chicago Cubs, so the did not make it easy. They battled the Cleveland Indians in an epic Game 7 battle. Manager Joe Maddon made some moves that left many scratching their heads.
In the end, however, the Cubs made history.
The evening started out with a bang for the Cubs. Dexter Fowler deposited the fourth pitch of the game into the stands for a lead-off home run. The Indians tied it in the third inning, but the Cubs scored two in the fourth, two in the fifth and one more in the sixth to give them a cushion to work with.
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In the fifth, Maddon made a move that he said before the game he did not want to make. He said he wanted to bring Jon Lester into the game. He did not want to bring him in with runners on base, though.
Maddon did the exact opposite. After starter Kyle Hendricks issued a two-out walk, Maddon called Lester’s number. Cubs fans all over were yelling “What are you doing?” at that move.
Lester got Jason Kipnis to hit a bouncer, but he could not get to the ball. David Ross, who came in as well, had to go far up the third base line to get to the ball. He hurried his throw and committed an error. Lester then threw a wild pitch, and when Ross got his cleats caught in the ground, Kipnis scored.
That made the game 5-3. Ross came back in that fifth and hit a home run to make it 6-3.
Lester went three innings and gave up just the unearned run. He gave way to Aroldis Chapman.
In Game 6, many questioned Maddon’s move of bringing in Chapman in a 7-2 game. The thought was he could rest Chapman for Game 7, but Maddon didn’t want to take a chance, and wanted to get to a Game 7.
It appeared that Maddon went to the well too many times.
Chapman, who threw 62 pitches in the previous two games, did not have the same bite to his pitches. He gave up a run-scoring double, then Rajai Davis hit a two-run homer to tie the game.
The Cubs had a chance to score in the ninth. Heyward stole second base, and a throwing error sent him to third with just one out. Javier Baez, struck out, however, and Fowler hit a ball up the middle that Francisco Lindor made a nice play on to end the inning.
Maddon again played with fire in the ninth. He left Chapman in, even though he was obviously tired. Chapman did not hit 100 on the radar gun on any of his pitches in the inning, but he got the Indians out in order.
Of course, with two teams trying to end long title droughts, Game 7 had to go to extra innings. And of course, the rain came and there was a delay.
The delay just heated up the Cubs. Kyle Schwarber led off the tenth with a lead-off hit. Kris Bryant hit the ball one step in front of the wall. Pinch runner Albert Almora Jr. alertly advanced to second.
After the Indians intentionally walked Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist,the World Series MVP, hit a double, scoring Almora. Miguel Montero came through as well, getting a run-scoring single.
Carl Edwards Jr. pitched the bottom of the tenth. He got the first two hitters out, then walked the next one. Davis, the hero in the eighth, came through once again, getting a run-scoring single.
Mike Montgomery came in and bailed out Maddon, and put Cubs Nation into a frenzy.
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Go ahead Cubs fans, celebrate. This was a long time coming and you can all savor it forever!