Cubs return to Chicago hours after winning World Series

Around here, it is played by a pugnacious mixture of youth and experience: players who didn’t know they were supposed to lose, led by a manager with a cool hand and unerring game decisions, and a front office whose astute player acquisitions filled in the missing parts to challenge for a championship. They came back with a win that night, and then again on Tuesday.

But they couldn’t contain the curse-busting Cubs.

Ending more than a century of flops, futility and frustration, the Cubs won their first title since 1908, outlasting the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings of a Game 7 thriller early Thursday. Ace Corey Kluber allowed four runs in four-plus innings, failing in his attempt to become the first pitcher to win three starts in one Series since 1968 MVP Mickey Lolich for Detroit. “We overcame every single thing they could throw at us”. Chicago Cubs’ David Ross is carried by teammates after Game 7 of the Major League Baseball World Series against the Cleveland Indians Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, in Cleveland. “I’m very proud of what we’ve done”.

Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana celebrate after scoring on Jon Lester’s wild pitch in the fifth inning. It slipped to a 19.5 rating during the 15 minute rain delay at midnight but then rose to a 22.1 in the 10 inning at 12:15 a.m. and a 21.0 at 12:30 a.m. before concluding with an 18.0 at 12:45 a.m.at game’s end. But reliever Mike Montgomery replaced Carl Edwards and got Michael Martinez to hit a slow roller into the infield. Friday was already a scheduled day off for Chicago Public Schools.

“We fought all year”, Kipnis said.

“It’s going to hurt”, said Indians manager Terry Francona.

Indians fans watch Game 7 from a big screen outside of Progressive Field.

The noon rally will be held at Grant Park’s Hutchinson Field.

“They tried until there was nothing left”.

Players took turns passing the new hardware around on their way back from Cleveland.

And when it finally did happen, it couldn’t have been more dramatic.

As the ball made its flight across the diamond, the stadium went silent for one of only a few times all night – and only until it settled into Rizzo’s glove.

Both the Cubs and the Cleveland Indians have the potential and young talent to be in the World Series for the next couple seasons, but predicting a repeat of the 2016 series is no fun.

The Chicago Cubs win the World Series for the first time in 108 years.

Chicago fans are writing their names in chalk on the Wrigley Field brick wall.

With the Series tied at three games each, tonight’s decisive winner-take-all game for the Cubs also meant a severely bittersweet loss for the Indians, whose last World Series win was in 1948.

When the rain came, it was nearly too much to bear. “But in my experience, at least, I think human beings can accomplish more for each other when they feel connected than they can for themselves”. “Those couple runs in the fourth inning were kind of hard to swallow”.

Nike ran an ad after the final out of Game 7. The 87-year-old comedian was alluding to the curse allegedly placed on the team during the 1945 World Series by the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern after he was told his pet goat wasn’t welcome at Wrigley.

“It was awesome to fight like that throughout the game”, Miller said.

The Cleveland Indians might be wise to enquire about his employment.

The first hitter he faced was Brandon Guyer, and it was clear immediately that Chapman’s velocity was down.

But Francona was the real difference maker. He hit a two-run, bloop double to right-center field in the first inning and a grand slam to center in the third, making him the first Cubs player in history to hit a grand slam in the World Series. This year, the most popular auto in America is, for better or worse, the Toyota Camry.

“We’ll be back”, Kipnis said.