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The Cubs are World Champions!

God bless Harry Caray, but to borrow another phrase of his…Who’d of thunk it?

In previous articles, I described the joy of victory as the Cubs continued their trek toward the ultimate prize—the World Series Championship. My emotions while writing them have become completely overshadowed by the immense thrill of the Cubs’ winning it all here in 2016.

To hear people whom you either didn’t realize were baseball fans or were just fans of big sports moments say that game seven of the 2016 World Series was a classic both stuns and overwhelms me. Yes, the Cubs won, but it’s the way they did it that writes the story.

Home runs by Dexter Fowler, Javier Baez, and David Ross—in his last game ever—were spectacular and gave the Cubs a lead that seemed insurmountable.

With the score 5-1, the Indians chipped away at the Cubs’ lead by scoring two on a wild pitch that bounced not only in the dirt but also off David Ross’ head/mask. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Ross homered to center to increase the Cubs’ lead to 6-3. Perhaps that knock on the head made him think he was Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron.

With Andrew Miller pitching for the Indians while Jon Lester relieved Cubs’ starter Kyle Hendricks, I thought between their pitching and the respective defenses of both clubs that the score would hold up. However, that’s when the drama began.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon removed Lester to bring in closer Aroldis Chapman—who had pitched in both games five and six. His job was to get four outs before giving up three runs. Could he do it?

Of course not, while the Cubs had figured out and hammered Indians’ starting pitcher Corey Kluber, the Indians smelled blood when a not-so-sharp Chapman took over in game seven. With Jose Ramirez on first, Brandon Guyer doubled him in to make the score 6-4. Rajai Davis, a speedster not known for home run power, used Chapman’s speed to belt a line drive over the left field wall to tie the game at 6.

I was crushed leaning toward devastated. For almost eight innings, I had watched my team on cruise control ready to win the World Series. Could the impending loss be inevitable?

After giving up a single to Coco Crisp, Chapman settled down and struck out Yan Gomes to end the eighth inning. Whew! I can wipe my brow after that.

In the top of the ninth, Ross walked. Jason Heyward then hit into a fielder’s choice while remaining on first. Wait a minute! That was too simplistic. When Chris Coghlan pinch-ran for Ross, he slid into second to break up the double play. Due to the horrific slide last year by Los Angeles Dodger Chase Utley that broke Ruben Tejada’s leg, the umpires reviewed the play and determined that Coghlan ran within the base path so Heyward remained safe at first.

After a pitching change, Heyward stole second and took third on a throwing error by Gomes. With Baez at the plate, Maddon called for a safety squeeze on a 3-2 count. Unfortunately for the Cubs, Baez bunted foul and struck out. Thereafter, Fowler grounded out to short to thwart the Cubs’ rally.

In the bottom of the ninth, my anxiety rose feverishly. Could Chapman use whatever gas he had left to extinguish the momentum-riding Indians here?

After Carlos Santana (not this guy) flew out to left, Chapman battled with Jason Kipnis and struck him out. As Francisco Lindor flew out to right, I was able to relax.

Extra innings. Free baseball. Game seven. Unbelievable!

Then the rain came.

As Randy Quaid yelled in Major League 2: “Get out the tarp! Cover the field!” Well, this was due to inclement weather not poorly played baseball.

After a short rain delay, the Cubs, who supposedly huddled in the clubhouse during the delay, began the tenth inning with a single by Kyle Schwarber. This kid had a tremendous World Series, but I digress.

When Albert Almora pinch-ran for Schwarber, Kris Bryant hit a LONG fly ball deep to right center…only to be caught by Davis. But Almora wisely tagged from first and took second. So, with one out and a runner in scoring position, the Indians chose to intentionally walk Anthony Rizzo. I don’t blame their logic. Don’t let one of the Cubs’ best hitters beat you.

Ben Zobrist, having a great Series thus far, doubled down the left field line to score Almora. Rizzo advanced to third, and the Cubs led 7-6. Woohoo!

Miguel Montero stepped up to the plate having relieved David Ross who relieved Willson Contreras. My head hurts typing all that. Regardless, he laced a single to left scoring Rizzo to make the score 8-6. If I was wearing shoes at that moment, I would have jumped out of them.

After a pitching change, Heyward and Baez couldn’t add to the Cubs’ lead, so the bottom of the tenth loomed large for the Indians.

Carl Edwards, Jr. came in to pitch for the Cubs. No, he’s neither related to the race car driver nor does he flip burgers in the western US. After he struck out Mike Napoli, Jose Ramirez grounded out to short. Two outs now. Only one more to go. This is easy, right?

Nope, Guyer walked to bring the tying run to the plate. My nerves are about to break from all this tension. After all, game-saver Rajai Davis was up. He couldn’t tie the game again, could he?

Not quite, but instead he singled to center to score Guyer making it 8-7.

I can’t take it. C’mon Cubbies. Don’t blow it again.

Maddon made another pitching change. To say his pitching changes in this game were controversial would be like asking who the second gunman on the grassy knoll was back in November of ’63.

Hyperbole aside, Mike Montgomery relieved Edwards to face Michael Martinez. Who? This guy hasn’t played all series. He can’t be the miracle worker for the Indians, can he?

Nope, he grounded to Bryant at third. As Bryant slipped on the wet infield grass, he threw a bullet to Rizzo for the final out.

The Cubs won the World Series!

Unfathomable! Unthinkable! Unbelievable! Incredible! Awesome!

POP!

The sparkling wine was flowing while my tenure as the admirer of a losing ball club had ended. Instead, my love for a franchise who had suffered for 108 years swelled from ear-to-ear. Now, I was a fan of a winning team. Remarkable!

To those who told me “the Cubs suck” as time went on, I only have to say that now the Cubs are WORLD CHAMPIONS. With all the young talent they have, winning can be contagious over the next few seasons. Let’s see where it takes them in 2017.

Way to go, Cubbies!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me at rsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).

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