Chicago Cubs: Remembering a World Series championship two years later

Chicago Cubs: Defending the Friendly Confines

As for Games 3 and 4, it didn’t go well. Back-to-back losses put the Cubs on the brink of elimination in front of the home faithful. Of course, memories of watching the New York Mets win the pennant at Wrigley Field 12 months prior were still fresh in the minds of us all.

Cleveland drove in a single run in Game 3, shutting out the Cubs while hammering them the next night by the final score of 7-2. Then suddenly, something clicked. Wheels began to turn and everyone on the Chicago roster began doing their jobs and doing them quite well.

In Game 5, southpaw Jon Lester, who earned co-NCLS MVP honors alongside Javier Baez, held the Indians off despite giving up a home run. Lester’s six-inning performance was enough to get the job done as the Cubs managed to keep their season alive behind a 3-2 home win.

That win forced the series back to Cleveland. With LeBron James and most of the Cavaliers watching from a luxury box, Chicago routed Game 6, winning 9-3. Shortstop Addison Russell launched a grand slam to make it 7-0 and was followed by a two-run Anthony Rizzo homer later on.

With a Cubs win, it all came down to a winner-take-all Game 7 at Progressive Field. 176 combined years of title-less baseball between two of baseball’s oldest franchises. In short, it had all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster.