By Trevor Stone
Game Seven of the 2016 Major League Baseball World Series was probably one of the most exciting games to watch in a long time. The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908. The curse was lifted after an extra inning, 8-7 victory at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Both the Cubs and Indians had strong offenses in the game. Both starting pitchers for the games hardly made it out of the fourth inning. Hendricks for the Cubs went four and two-thirds innings pitched, and Kluber for Cleveland only went four.
The Cubs scored in the first inning of the game due to a lead-off homerun from Dexter Fowler, their center fielder. That run was unanswered until the Indians scored in the third inning with a double from Coco Crisp, and a single from Carlos Santana to drive the run in. That same inning, there was a softly hit ground ball that David Ross for the Cubs picked up and threw away at the first baseman. Santana moved up to third and Kipnis to second. A wild pitch from Jon Lester caused both runs to reach home plate, and the score was 5-3 Cubs at the end of the inning. It quickly became 6-3 in the top of the sixth inning when David Ross, the veteran Cubs’ catcher drilled a ball over the fence in his last professional baseball game.
The Cubs’ offense was unleashed upon the Indians in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Lester would be relieved by Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning, and the Indians’ future looked bleak. However, Chapman had been used a lot already in the series and his fastball didn’t seem to have the same amount of zip behind it. It would soon be Cleveland’s opportunity to ruffle some feathers.
After two outs in the eighth, the Indians’ bats exploded against Chapman. Brandon Guyer hit a RBI double, and following him was one of the longest and most nerve-racking battles to see. Rajai Davis was fighting off everything Chapman was throwing at him. Then a pitch thrown low and inside to Davis was pounded over the left-field wall. The Indians tied the game 6-6.
Neither team budged to score any runs in the ninth inning, but the suspense would not end there. There was a short rain delay of nearly twenty minutes that occurred before the tenth and final inning. After the tarp was removed the Cubs’ offense was ready to go to work.
The inning began with a single from Shwarber who got a pinch-runner after reaching first. Kris Bryant hit a sacrifice fly to get Amora to second base. Then, Ben Zobrist laced a double into the outfield to score Amora. The Indians then walked Addison Russel. This brought Miguel Montero up, who came through with a base-hit to provide the Cubs with an insurance run.
The Cubs had the lead 8-6. Cleveland had their backs against the wall. They would end up scoring one more run, but it was not enough for a World Series victory. The Cleveland Indians blew a 3-1 series lead over the Chicago Cubs. The team that had been cursed since 1908, is cursed no more.
