The curse is finally, finally。dead.。 The Chicago Cubs -- haunted by the most infamous losing streak in sports for 108 years -- beat the Cleveland Indians on the road in Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night to win their first Major League Baseball championship since 1908. 。 So ends a drought that for more than a century defined the Cubs and their fans, who are the lovable losers of sports no more. It sure didn't come easy, though. 。 SEE ALSO:A Cubs fan paid $47,000 for two World Series Game 7 tickets。The Cubs ended their curse in fitting underdog style in Game 7. Chicago came back from a 3-1 deficit against Cleveland, making the Cubs just the sixth World Series team to accomplish the feat, and the first since the Kansas City Royals in 1985.
。 They finished the job on Wednesday night while providing plenty of dramatic moments from the get-go in an instant-classic game that will forever shine in the Fall Classic annals. We got extra innings, a rain delay -- we got it all.。 In the first inning, Chicago's Dexter Fowler started the party early by hitting the first leadoff home run in World Series Game 7 history.。 The Cubs ran their lead up to 5-1 when Anthony Rizzo drove Kris Bryant home in the fifth inning. But any Chicago fans who thought the rout was on soon got a rude awakening.。 Cleveland took advantage of a wild pitch by Jon Lester in the bottom of the inning to narrow the gap to 5-3. Next, however, came a storybook twist.。 SEE ALSO:Why a 39-year-old, back-up catcher is the real star of the World Series。Lester's wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth bounced off the face-mask of David Ross, the Cubs' 39-year-old catcher who had long since planned to retire after this season. Now, playing in the final game of his career, Ross stepped to the plate of a newly tense game and ripped a solo shot off Cleveland's Andrew Miller to give Chicago a 6-3 lead in the top of the sixth.
。 Mashable Top StoriesStay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 。Thanks for signing up!。 Tweet may have been deleted。 Tweet may have been deleted。 But Cleveland did not go down quietly.。 A scoreless ninth inning sent the game to extras -- when a rain delay was called before the 10th inning began. The hiatus lasted just 17 minutes, but was a pitch-perfect late addition to a surreal baseball night. 。 Tweet may have been deleted。When play resumed, Ben Zobrist hit an RBI double in the top of the 10th to wrestle the lead back for Chicago. Then Miguel Montero hit an RBI single for an 8-6 Cubs advantage.。 Ben Zobrist celebrates his 10th-inning RBI double.Credit: David J. Phillip/AP。 Carl Edwards Jr. began the bottom of the 10th for the Cubs after Chapman, worked to the bone, was finally taken out by manager Joe Maddon. First, Edwards struck out Mike Napoli. Then he forced Jose Ramirez into a ground-out.
。 The Cubs were one out away -- but of course it wouldn't be so easy. 。 Edwards next walked Brandon Guyer to bring Rajai Davis back to the plate. Davis -- just as he delivered with the game-tying home run eighth inning -- hit a line drive to center to bring Guyer in and make the score 8-7.。 Mike Montgomery, in for Edwards, then induced a Michael Martinez ground-out for the Cubs' third out of the 10th inning.
。 Finally, they were over -- both the marathon Game 7 and the curse that haunted the Chicago Cubs for more than a century. 。 That final out ignited a celebration sure to reverberate across Cleveland, where the Cubs finished off their improbable series comeback from 3-1 down. It ignited a celebration sure to echo through all corners of Chicago and beyond, to everywhere else across the globe where Cubs fans awaited another World Series win year after year after year after year for 108 years.。Exhale now, Cubs fans, and wait no more.。Exhale now, Cubs fans, and wait no more.。 |