‘Cursed’ Cubs back in World Series
Chicago beats Dodgers 5-0 to reach first MLB pennant race since 1945
Anthony Rizzo caught the ball for the final out and Wrigley Field erupted.
“I’m sleeping with this thing tonight,” the Chicago Cubs first baseman told the pulsating crowd moments later, kissing the prized souvenir. “Are you kidding me? We’re going to the World Series.”
Cubs ... World Series? Yes, the Cubbies!
Next up, Game 1 in Cleveland.
With fans chanting, singing and waving those Ws, shaking the century-old ballpark and jamming the streets of Wrigleyville, the Cubs celebrated a moment many of their faithful wondered whether they would ever see.
Kyle Hendricks outpitched Clayton Kershaw, while Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered early as the Cubs took their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 on Saturday night to win the NL Championship Series in six games.
“Listen to them. Outside before the game was crazy. Inside the game was crazy,” Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said.
“These guys have done nothing but support us from day one. It’s been unbelievable to be here and be part of this. Words can’t really describe where I’m at right now,” he said.
Cursed by a Billy Goat, bedeviled by Bartman and crushed by decades of disappointment, those “Lovable Losers” now have a chance to win it all.
Trying to win their first crown since 1908, manager Joe Maddon’s team opens the World Series against Cleveland on Tuesday night.
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 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.
The drought ended when Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play, setting off a wild celebration. And if they bring home the elusive championship?
“I may make the ‘W’ a tattoo,” said chairman Tom Ricketts, who once lived across the street and met his wife in the bleachers.
Deemed World Series favorites 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 17 th 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 penultimate 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, this is a completely different time of our lives. We’re enjoying it and our work’s just getting started.”
Hendricks pitched two-hit ball for 7 1/3 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 Dodgers sent the minimum 27 batters to the plate and no one got past first base.
The Cubs shook off back-toback shutout losses earlier in this series by pounding the Dodgers for 23 runs to win the final three games.
And they were in no way overwhelmed by the moment on Saturday, putting aside previous frustration.
In the 1945 Series, the Billy Goat Curse supposedly began when a tavern owner wasn’t allowed to bring his goat to Wrigley. In 2003, the Cubs lost the final three games of the NLCS to Florida, punctuated with a Game 6 defeat when fan Steve Bartman deflected a foul ball.
Even as recently as 2012, the Cubs lost 101 times. This time, no such ill luck. Bryant had an RBI single and scored in a two-run first. Dexter Fowler added two hits, drove in a run and scored one.
Contreras led off the fourth with a homer. Rizzo continued his resurgence with a solo drive in the fifth.
That was plenty for Hendricks, the major league ERA leader.
Hendricks left to a standing ovation after Josh Reddick singled with one out in the eighth. The only other hit Hendricks allowed was a single by Andrew Toles on the game’s first pitch.