The agony ends. The agony continues. May baseball never change.
Two teams that have had their share of conversations with the baseball gods over the years contested a Game 7 that had every observer gazing heavenward at times in sheer disbelief. Ultimately, the Chicago Cubs ended a 108-year World Series drought, passing the torch of torment to the very Cleveland Indians squad they downed 8-7 in 10 innings on Wednesday night and a little bit of Thursday morning.
The sports universe is somehow on its ear and perfectly in balance all at once. On one hand, a Cubs team known—even celebrated—for its losing ways is suddenly flying the ultimate ‘W.’ Cleveland, however, remains perpetually stuck in the on-deck circle, wondering when its moment in the sun will come. Nineteen years after an excruciating extra-inning, Game 7 loss to the Florida Marlins—who knotted that contest in the bottom of the ninth—Cleveland endured another drawn-out, crushing defeat. In each of the Indians’ past two playoff series losses, the team has squandered 3-1 series leads.
It’s now 68 years and counting since the Ohio boys could claim hardball supremacy.
And what a way to extend the heartache or experience the healing. This was winner-take-all action that constantly asked, “Can you take it?”
Maybe Dexter Fowler was simply telling us all to pay attention when he led off the game with a home run. Between that swing and the final out, we were peppered with reminders that baseball remains an alluringly unknowable sport.
Programming Alert: Game 7 of the World Series will be replayed Thursday at 1:00 p.m. ET on all four Sportsnet regional channels
Both managers, lauded for their moves all post-season, were suddenly making questionable calls. Cleveland skipper Terry Francona left starter Corey Kluber in one batter too long, yanking him only after Javier Baez began the fifth with a big fly. Joe Maddon, long fawned over in informed baseball circles, tried to squeeze home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, one out and the aforementioned bopper Baez at the dish. All that came of it was strike three being bunted into the dirt.
Maddon’s biggest miscue was leaning on Aroldis Chapman so heavily in the aftermath of watching him throw a combined 62 pitches in Games 5 and 6. The result was a game-tying, self-redeeming two-run bomb from Rajai Davis in the bottom of the eighth. Back-to-back fielding blunders by Davis in the fourth had helped Chicago amass a 3-1 lead. Then, suddenly, none of that mattered. It never felt more likely Cleveland was going to win the game than when Davis was rounding the bases, pointing skyward.
Not long after, those same skies opened up and we found ourselves in an extra-inning rain delay, the full absurdity of the moment punctuated by each soggy drop.
When play resumed, it became apparent the 2016 Fall Classic lasted just long enough for the Cubs to remind everybody of what they really are: A relentless 103-win machine that can’t be stopped. Ben Zobrist, the sport’s most malleable man, smacked an opposite-field double to give Chicago a 10th-inning lead. The Cubs entered the bottom half with a two-run advantage, but it was down to one when light-hitting Michael Martinez—with the tying run on first base —grounded softly to third baseman Kris Bryant, who made the charge and throw they’ll be playing on an endless loop in Illinois for some time.
A team that came to occupy such a prominent sporting space in the land of opportunity by never taking advantage of them finally had its moment. The Cubs made partisans out of hordes of onlookers who didn’t have a dog in the fight, but latched on to their historical underdog label. In reality, it was Cleveland—with its decimated rotation and star outfielder Michael Brantley on the shelf almost the entire year—that played the role of little guy. It could be argued they never should have made it this far and, in the end, that win they’ve been searching for since Sunday proved one too many to ask for.
Chicago demonstrated what’s possible when patient, shrewd building is finished off by flexing financial might. Toronto Maple Leafs fans, you just saw your blueprint executed to perfection.
If the Cubs didn’t win this one, another title was sure to come in the next year or two.
Actually, strike that last remark. Because as the last game of the 2016 baseball season proved, you really never know what’s coming in this sport.