Chicago Cubs: Remembering my favorite Cubs postseason moments

Right now, the Chicago Cubs’ early postseason exit is still fresh in our memories. But we still have a lot to be thankful for in recent years, including a title.

In fact, more often than not they have missed the playoffs during my lifetime, with seven postseason appearances over that 22-year span. Despite a meek bow-out to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2007 NLDS and as a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series the following year, there has been plenty of excitement for fellow Chicago Cubs fans when they play into October.

After a fourth-straight 90-plus win regular season and subsequent postseason berth, one thing has become very clear. This is a tremendous era of Cubs’ success. Of course, all most of us will recall is how the team quietly went into the night after back-to-back losses to the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies in the final two games of the year.

With everyone pointing fingers and looking for somewhere to cast the blame, I thought now is as good a time as any to look back at some of my personal favorite postseason memories from recent years.

Chicago Cubs: Bet you didn’t expect this game on this list

OK, hear me out. I know this one will bring back a lot of anguish and heartbreak. But watching Mark Prior mow down Marlins hitters in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS was glorious, especially as a seven-year-old who had dreams of being a big-leaguer one day, too.

Remember that Prior was coming off a season in which he went 18-6, with a 2.43 ERA (and perhaps more impressively, a league-leading 2.47 FIP). Many thought he may win the NL Cy Young Award in that season, and Game 6 was a showcase of his pitching abilities.

Prior threw seven scoreless innings in Game 6, overpowering Marlins hitters and bringing the Cubs within five outs of a trip to the World Series before, well… you know.

But hey, at least we have 2016 to erase that memory, right? Whatever your memory of that 2003 team may be, it was certainly fun to watch Prior pitch that night.

Chicago Cubs: Jake the Snake puts the team on his back

Jake Arrieta‘s performance in the 2015 Wild Card game was spectacular, and definitive of a Cy Young season in which he dominated opponents all year. But Game 4 of the NLDS that same year was truly special.

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First of all, it was the Cardinals. This is one of the most fierce and historic rivalries in baseball, and two franchises that were coming from very different places.

The Cubs had the feel of a team that had arrived ahead of schedule in the midst of their rebuilding process, while the Cardinals were the established holders of the NL Central crown. They were also coming off of four consecutive NLCS appearances.

But after losing Game 1, the Cubs won three-straight games to advance to the NLCS for the first time in 12 years. Game 4 itself was spectacular. An unexpected go-ahead homer from a young Javier Baez and a legendary Kyle Schwarber blast (which landed on top of the scoreboard in right field) had Wrigley Field rocking.

And when closer Hector Rendon shut the door in the ninth, it was an evocative moment of what was to come for the Cubs in the future

Chicago Cubs: As fans panicked, Hendricks stays cool and calm

Remember when Cubs fans everywhere pushed the panic button in the 2016 NLCS against the Dodgers? After winning Game 1 (thanks again Miguel Montero), the bats went silent over the next two games. Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill blanked Chicago, holding the Cubs to just six hits.

But even after the Cubs rallied to take the next two games in Los Angeles, they would still have to beat Kershaw in order to reach their first World Series since 1945.

Yet for all of Kershaw’s dominance in the regular season, his postseason woes resurfaced in Game 6, as the Cubs scored five runs off of the left-hander… which was more than enough for Kyle Hendricks.

Even though he was the MLB’s ERA champ (with a sterling 2.13 mark) in 2016, Hendricks had fallen on hard luck in this postseason. He was struck by a liner in Game 2 of the NLDS which forced him to exit that start, then was outdueled by Kershaw in Game 2 of the NLCS.

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But this time, the emerging right-hander would not be denied. Hendricks pitched the game of his life, allowing just two hits and striking out six in 7 1/3 innings. It was a steady and calculated performance that seemed to perfectly resonate with Hendricks’ persona as “The Professor.”

The roars had come early thanks to big home runs by Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras, but none were louder than when Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play to end the game. Elderly fans in the stands burst into tears while beer flew everywhere, and somewhere in the luxury boxes was Theo Epstein, on the receiving end of a bear-hug from Eddie Vedder.

For me, this was a moment of elation and relief. I had always wondered what this moment would feel like if and when I had the chance to experience it, but as a baseball fan I also could not help but to feel gratified. The Cubs truly had been the best team in baseball all season, and now had a chance to capture their first World Series title in 108 years.

How magical.

Chicago Cubs: A little rain does the trick, ending a drought

Speaking of magical, does it really get any better than Game 7 of the 2016 World Series? Not only is it arguably the greatest game in baseball history, but also was the perfect moment in capturing all the heartbreak, hopefulness and “one day” mindset that comes with being a Cubs fan.

For me, it was hardly ideal for this game to be played on a Wednesday in the middle of the fall semester. But this was truly a once in a lifetime experience… my news reporting class could wait for the rewriting of the history books.

This game really did have it all. A leadoff homer from Dexter Fowler against a dominant Corey Kluber. A wild pitch that led to two runs for the Cleveland Indians – who, by the way, were trying to end a 68-year drought of their own – and got them back into the game.

In the middle innings: a home run by veteran catcher David Ross, a 39-year-old playing in his final game, off Andrew Miller, perhaps the best reliever in baseball at the time. And of course, the Rajai Davis home run to tie the game in the eighth inning.

After Davis tied the game, I simply could not control myself. My heart was racing; I could feel it beating out of my chest.

Being that I was watching the game with friends, one of whom was an Indians fan, I tried my hardest not to look at anyone. I simply stared at the TV in disbelief, as if I felt the weight of the entire Cubs nation echoing “not again.”

And then… the rain delay. It was the most agonizing 15 minutes I can ever remember. I had absolutely no clue what to do myself, and the momentum shift in the game was weighing as heavily on my psyche as any other previous event in my life… I do not think that is an exaggeration.

But after Schwarber singled to lead off the top of the tenth, it felt like destiny was on our side again. After all, Schwarber was not even supposed to be playing in this series.

Three batters later, and Ben Zobrist delivered. But still, I wanted more insurance. Cubs fans everywhere wanted more insurance. And they would get it from Miguel Montero.

For as mercurial as he has been this season, Carl Edwards was surprisingly composed and dialed in as he came on to close the game. And although the Indians again rallied to within one, I was starting to feel the anticipation as Mike Montgomery entered to face pinch-hitter Michael Martinez. Sure enough, Martinez grounded to Kris Bryant, and the rest is history.

I will never forget that night or the following days, when I blared “All the Way” (by the aforementioned Eddie Vedder) and skipped class to watch the parade in Chicago. No Cubs fan will ever forget where they were when the curse was broken, and certainly not me.