As soon as the matchup between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series was set, the baseball world knew they were in for a treat. Two franchises with a traditionally losing culture finally would get their chance to vanquish baseball's two longest title droughts. The Indians, who had not won the Fall Classic since 1948, featured the strongest pitching in all of baseball over the Postseason, and, led by ALCS MVP Andrew Miller, were a forced to be reckoned with on the mound. Meanwhile, Chicago's batting lineup and pitching combined to make baseball's strongest and most balanced team. The perfect storm was brewing a potential World Series for the ages, and it did not disappoint.
After Cleveland jumped out to a three games to one lead, many thought Chicago was a dead team walking; perhaps 2016 would not be the Cubs year after all. Corey Kluber and Miller had stifled the Cubs potent offense, while the 22-year old Puerto Rican sensation Francisco Lindor carried the Indians to blowout wins in games one and four. However, when their backs were against the wall and the longstanding Curse of the Billy Goat looked all too real, Chicago suddenly roared to life. Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Anthony Rizzo, and Aroldis Chapman led the Cubs to two straight wins, including a nine to three blowout in game six to tie the series. That win would set up what would easily be the best game of the 2016 season, a game seven winner-take-all showdown at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Ace pitcher Kluber would start for the third time in the series, while the Cubs would pitch NL ERA leader Kyle Hendricks; the stage was set for a classic.
The Cubs lineup chased Kluber from the game early, forcing the Indians to use their trump card, Miller, far earlier than manager Terry Francona had envisioned. By the end of the top of the fifth, Chicago had jumped out to a five to one lead on the back of Dexter Fowler, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo, and it appeared that game seven was going to go the way of game six: a disappointing blowout. But just as the Cubs did when they were on the verge of elimination, Cleveland refused to die, cutting the deficit back to two runs with a two run bottom half of the frame. The eighth inning set the stage for pandemonium in Ohio. Manager Joe Maddon's decision to pitch closer Aroldis Chapman in game six despite holding a massive lead worried many, and Chapman looked far from his usual self when he took the mound with two outs in the eighth. Most teams in the Indians position would have folded, however, the fighting spirit Francona's team embodies showed incredible resiliency. Cleveland hitters began to choke up on the bat, looking to simply make contact with the ball and let the Cuban flamethrowing pitcher's power generate the exit velocity. The strategy worked to perfection, as Brandon Guyer's double into the left field gap scored Jose Ramirez and made the score six to four. Then up stepped 36-year old speedster Rajai Davis, far from a power hitter, with two men on in the biggest spot of his career. A hit would put Cleveland right back in the game; an out would make coming back an uphill battle. Davis' at-bat quantified baseball's age-old simplicity; all the hitter has to do is put the bat on the ball and good things will happen. A line-drive home run to left later, the ballgame was tied, and the Tribe was alive.
But the theme of this series persisted, as the Cubs kept their never-say-die attitude in the face of enormous pressure. Chapman finished off the inning without surrendering the lead and held the Indians at bay in the ninth, forcing extra innings, a fitting way to end the year's best game. Ben Zobrist, Chicago's All-Star utility man who was on the Royals 2015 championship team before signing for the Cubs in the offseason, hit a go-ahead double to left in a World Series MVP effort. Miguel Montero, the Cubs third catcher of the game, then struck for a huge insurance run on a single to left, giving Chicago a two-run advantage, and giving the Indians just three more outs to save their season. Davis again came in clutch for Cleveland, striking an RBI single to make the score eight to seven, but there were two outs and the tying run on first when Michael Martinez, Cleveland's last chance, stepped up to the plate. Groundball to third. Kris Bryant fielded it cleanly and threw to first, and in that moment, a century of agony and heartbreak was over. The Curse was dead and buried. The Cubs were finally, when no one believed it possible, the World Champions of baseball. There are many great World Series memories: the Angels' miraculous comeback in 2002, Luis Gonzalez' walkoff in 2001 for the Diamondbacks to upset the goliath that was the New York Yankees, but 2016 is the Fall Classic baseball fans around the world will treasure in their hearts forever.
