71-year World Series wait is over for Cubs
CHICAGO CUBS 5 LOS ANGELES DODGERS 0 Chicago wins series 4-2
CHICAGO — After decades of disappointment, the Chicago Cubs are at long last headed back to the World Series.
Kyle Hendricks outpitched Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered early, and the Cubs won their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Saturday in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.
The drought ended when closer Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play, setting off a wild celebration inside Wrigley Field and all over the city.
Seeking their first crown since 1908, manager Joe Maddon’s team opens the World Series at Cleveland on Tuesday. The Indians haven’t won it all since 1948 — Cleveland and Cubs have the two longest title waits in the majors.
“This city deserves it so much,” Rizzo said. “We got four more big ones to go, but we’re going to enjoy this. We’re going to the World Series — I can’t even believe that.”
All-everything Javier Baez and pitcher Jon Lester shared the NLCS MVP. Baez hit .318, drove in five runs and made several sharp plays at second base. Lester, a former World Series champion in Boston, was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.
Deemed World Series favourites since opening day, the Cubs topped the majors with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then beat the Giants and Dodgers in the playoffs.
The Cubs overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Dodgers and won their 17th pennant. They had not earned a World Series trip since winning a doubleheader opener 4-3 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 29, 1945, to clinch the pennant on the next-to-last day of the season.
The eternal “wait till next year” is over. No more dwelling on a history of failure — the future is now.
“We’re too young. We don’t care about it,” star slugger Kris Bryant said. “We don’t look into it. This is a new team. We’re enjoying it and our work’s just getting started.”
Hendricks pitched two-hit ball for 71⁄3 innings. Chapman took over and closed with hitless relief, then threw both arms in the air as he was mobbed by teammates and coaches.
The crowd joined in, chanting and serenading their team.