Cubs rout Indians, force Game 7

CLEVELAND » After 108 years, what’s one more day?

The Chicago Cubs are far from finished. They’re frothing.

Addison Russell hit a grand slam and tied a World Series record with six RBIs, and Chicago took advantage of a huge early misplay in Cleveland’s outfield as the Cubs throttled the Indians 9-3 on Tuesday night in Game 6 to push this tense tug-of-war between baseball’s two longest title drought holders to the limit.

Game 7, it is. The biggest, most nerve-wracking day yet. For one city, hysteria. For the other, heartbreak.

Kris Bryant homered to spark a three-run first inning, Russell hit the first slam in the Series in 11 years and Jake Arrieta worked into the sixth as the Cubs, who came to Progressive Field one win from elimination, are now one victory from their first championship since 1908.

Indians ace Corey Kluber, dominant while winning Games 1 and 4, starts again on short rest Wednesday night at home against big league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks.

The NL champions, who also got a two-run homer from Anthony Rizzo, are trying to become the seventh team to rally from 3-1 deficit and first to do in on the road since Willie Stargell and the Pittsburgh Pirates came back against Baltimore in 1979.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn’t take any chances despite a comfortable late lead, using atomic-armed Aroldis Chapman for one out in the seventh, the eighth and one batter in the ninth. The lefty will be on call for Game 7.

The Cubbies, shut out twice earlier in this Series, brought their clubbies to Cleveland.

They hammered Josh Tomlin, who couldn’t get out of the third inning and didn’t get any help from his outfield in the first. The right-hander, who was so effective in Game 3 at Wrigley Field, pitched on short rest for the second time in his career but wasn’t the problem as much as his location.

CHARLIE RIEDEL — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Cubs’ Addison Russell hits a grand slam against the Indians in the third inning of Game 6 Tuesday in Cleveland.