They did it. For the first time in over century, the Chicago Cubs are World Series Champions.
In the final installment of a thrilling series, the Cubs overcame impressive batting from the Cleveland Indians, a rain delay, and the added pressure of extra innings, to come out on top 8-7. The historic win ends the Cubs’ 108 year championship drought, the longest for any major American sports team.
Neutral fans could argue that an Indians victory would have been just as sweet, given their home field advantage at Progressive Field for the last two games and going 68 (now 69) years and counting without a championship themselves. However, the Cubs have endured the agony of coming close to the crown in their previous post-season appearances and then having it ripped away from them.
But not any more.
In a roller coaster of a game, the Cubs found themselves leading 5-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, when Cleveland began their comeback. Down by two in the eighth, Rajai Davis pulled in a two-run homer to level the game at six apiece heading into the ninth. After an excruciatingly stressful ninth inning with no runs, the game stretched into extra innings, but not before a brief, 17 minute rain delay.
With Chicago up at bat, fans anxiously watched through their fingers and felt victory creeping closer when Ben Zobrist hit a double that brought a run in from Albert Almora, bumping the Cubs up by one on the scoreboard while Anthony Rizzo rounded the bases soon after to put make the score 8-6. The Indians gave their best efforts to stay alive and earned an RBI from Rajai Davis, putting them within a run of taking it another inning. But one more out ended Cleveland’s hope for a title and sent the city of Chicago into pandemonium.
Finally, after 108 years, the Chicago Cubs are world champions, leaving dedicated fans everywhere to pinch themselves in disbelief that their curse is now broken.