Chicago Cubs: Remembering key moments from 2016 World Series
By Usayd Koshul
3. Albert Almora’s tag on Kris Bryant’s hit in the 10th inning of Game Seven
If you remember how the 10th inning started off for the Cubs, Kyle Schwarber pinch hit, then was taken out of the game and replaced by Albert Almora Jr., the pinch runner. Kris Bryant would be up to bat next and would hit a deep fly ball to center field. While Bryant would be out, Almora would still advance to second base. To make this moment even more important, keep in mind that 2016 was Almora Jr’s. rookie season and that he’d shown flashes of what he could be.
Almora’s tag here is important mainly because he’s what allowed for the Cubs to go ahead and score two runs. Furthermore, after he’d tag and run to second base, Anthony Rizzo would be intentionally walked. After Rizzo was walked, Ben Zobrist would have an RBI Double that would bring home both Almora.
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Look, people will debate all the time about who really made a difference here. Was it Rizzo or Zobrist’s big hit? That we can talk about forever. But let’s be honest: Almora’s baserunning is what allowed for the Cubs to have a two-run lead. It also set the stage for Miguel Montero to eventually have an RBI single that would bring home Rizzo.