In Chicago, W Stands For World Champs

Two days after Halloween, the cursed has apparently been cursed. After 108 years, the Chicago Cubs are World Champions, surviving what will be remembered as one of the greatest game sevens in World Series history. 

By all means, the Cubs have earned this.  In a game that has made Ben Zobrist the hero of Chicago when he hit a double in the tenth inning off of Bryan Shaw that broke the 6-6 tie, in a game where you saw neither starting pitcher make it past the sixth inning and you saw starting pitchers become relieving pitchers, Terry Francona’s strategy this World Series was to use his stout bullpen, and he did exactly that in game seven.

On the other hand, Joe Maddon’s plan was to score first, which the Cubs wasted no time in doing, when Dexter Fowler led off the game with a homerun first time in a World Series game 7. 

The Indians tied it up later on when Coco Crisp led off with a double and then scored on a Carlos Santana single in the third inning. Ace Corey Kluber was on a short leash, and was taken out early for Andrew Miller at the first sign of trouble, after a Javier Baez solo home run in the fifth inning. 

Much to the Indians dismay, Andrew Miller was by all means not what he is normally like. He was very erratic with his pitching and couldn’t stay consistent in the strike zone. Kluber pitching on three days rest allowed six hits and four runs over four innings and didn’t strike out anyone. This was the first game of his career where he did not record a single K. 

Jon Lester came out for a relief outing for the first time in 9 years, and replaced Kyle Hendricks, who pitched four solid innings. This also brought out David Ross, who is Jon Lester’s personal catcher. Much to the disliking of Joe Maddon,  the Cubs let up two runs from a wild pitch from Lester, making the score Cubs 5, Indians 3. 

In the top of the sixth inning, David Ross added a monstrous home run to center field  that made it Cubs 6, Indians 3. Cubs fans everywhere started celebrating, but yet they did not know what was yet to come. Next was the bottom of the eighth inning. Chapman came on and pitched a very rough inning, as Guyer doubled home Ramirez, making it Cubs 6, Indians 4. 

Seven pitches later, Rajai Davis blasted a two-run home run to tie the game 6-6. It stayed that way until the top of the 10th inning, when done zobrist came up with his heroics. He had a double that broke the tie, making it 7-6 Cubs. Michael Montero also had a single through the infield the score Anthony Rizzo to make it 8-6 Cubs.

The Indians weren’t done yet, in the bottom of the 10th inning Rajai Davis got up and singled home Guyer. This made it 8-7 Cubs, and the Cubs pitching from their held on and clinched them their first World Series in 108 years.

So for now the curse of the goat is gone, Steve Bartman is allowed back to Wrigley field, and the Cubs are no longer the laughing stock of the sports world. For all the Cubs fans out there sing that Victory song written by Steve Goodman in 1984, they’re singing:

Go Cubs Go 

Go Cubs Go 

Hey Chicago, what do you say?

The Cubs are going to win today!