Game 7s are a baseball fan’s heaven. This event was the pinnacle of pressure in the sport of baseball as the Cleveland Indians hosted the Chicago Cubs in a winner-takes-all game. These two teams were both starving for a World Series title, as the Cubs haven’t won since 1908 and the Indians haven’t won since 1940. These are the two longest World Series droughts in the MLB. This game wasn’t just any ordinary game, after all; both of these teams have played over 180 games this season from the span of April to October. Both teams fought incredibly hard to overcome their history and appear in this game, and both were playing at superhuman levels. This 10 inning game became an instant classic. The shifts in momentum, split second plays, and tactical play calling turned the sport of baseball into a theatrical masterpiece.
The Chicago Cubs came out on top, ending their 108-year World Series drought. Both teams were evenly matched throughout the series, yet the Cubs were able to grab the win due to a strong opening. Home runs from Dexter Fowler in the first inning and Javier Baez in the fifth inning were big offensive plays that gave the Cubs an early lead. As good as the Cubs were, the Cleveland Indians were able to come right back. Despite being down 5-1 by the top of the fifth, the Indians were able to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth, making it a 5-3 game going into the sixth. The Indians would then even things up in the eighth inning. This sent the game into extra innings – a sudden death.
When kids dream of playing in the big leagues, this is the kind of moment they fantasize about. Out of all the miraculous things that had happened and could happen, rain falls on Cleveland and a 17-minute rain delay is called. This delay may have been one of the most important moments of the game. The Indians carried the momentum of the game at the moment, putting the Cubs off-balance. This delay gave the Cubs time to take a moment and regain their composure. In the next inning, with cool heads and hot bats, the Cubs stepped up to the plate and rallied. In that moment, the rain and the boos of the Cleveland Indians fans meant nothing. The Chicago Cubs came out on top in the 10th inning at 8-7 to finally overcome the longest curse in baseball superstition. If you missed this game, you missed a once-in-a-lifetime match-up. This World Series will go down as one of the greatest of all time.