Cubs force WS Game 7 decider
Print Edition
ONE more game. For everything.
Either a 108-year World Series championship drought will come to an end, or another that’s lasted 68 years.
Hysteria for one fan base, more heartbreak for the other.
Cubs vs Indians in a winner-take-all Game 7.
As it should be.
“It’s just correct and apt that we’d go seven games,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said.
Addison Russell hit a grand slam and tied a WS record with six RBI, and Chicago took advantage of a huge early misplay in Cleveland’s outfield as the Cubs throttled the Indians 9-3 in Game 6 on Tuesday to push this tense tug-of-war between baseball’s two longest title drought holders to the limit. The biggest, most nerve-wracking day lies ahead.
Indians ace Corey Kluber, dominant while winning Games 1 and 4, starts again on short rest at home against big league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks.
Cleveland’s hopes will rest with its best pitcher, the one guy the Indians have been able to count on all season.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” said Jason Kipnis, who homered and had three hits. “We knew they’ve got a great ballclub over there. They were lined up with their three-headed monster of a pitching staff. We’re still very confident.”
Kris Bryant homered to spark a three-run first inning, Russell hit the first WS slam in 11 years and Jake Arrieta worked into the sixth as the Cubs, down 1-3 back at Wrigley Field, are now rolling. One more win at Progressive Field would bring their first championship since 1908.
The Indians, trying for their first title since 1948, missed a second shot at closing out the Cubs. Cleveland is now forced to play another Game 7 after losing in 11 innings to the Florida Marlins in 1997 in its last trip to the WS.
Not wanting to take any chances despite a comfortable late lead, Maddon used atomic-armed Aroldis Chapman for one out in the seventh, the eighth and one batter in the ninth. The lefty, who got the final eight outs in Game 5, threw just 20 pitches and will be on call for the season’s final game when both managers won’t hesitate to use any arm they’ve got.
The Cubbies, shut out twice earlier in this WS, brought their clubbies to Cleveland. Bryant had four hits and Anthony Rizzo three, including a two-run homer.
They hammered Josh Tomlin, who couldn’t get out of the third inning. The right-hander, who was so effective in Game 3 at Wrigley Field, pitched on short rest for the second time in his career but wasn’t the problem as much as his location.
Everything seemed to be lined up for a massive downtown street party in Cleveland. Fans came hoping to witness the first championship win at home by a Cleveland team since the Browns took the NFL title in 1964 by shutting out the Baltimore Colts.
With Eddie Robinson — the last living member from that ‘48 title team — in attendance, and LeBron James and the NBA champions Cavaliers coming over from Quicken Loans Arena after they beat Houston, Cleveland was poised to have a night to remember like the one just 134 days ago in June when the Cavs ended the city’s 52-year championship dry spell.
The Cubs blew through those plans like a wicked wind off Lake Michigan.
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