2016 World Series

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs made their eleventh appearance in the World Series; their only previous two championships were in 1907 and 1908, both against the Detroit Tigers. They lost their eight other appearances, in 1906 against the Chicago White Sox, in 1910 against the Philadelphia Athletics, in 1918 against the Boston Red Sox, in 1929 against the Athletics, in 1932 against the New York Yankees, in 1935 against the Tigers, in 1938 against the Yankees, and in 1945 against the Tigers.

The Cubs qualified for the postseason by winning the National League Central, ending the regular season with the best record in the major leagues (103–58) for the first time since 1945; they also posted their highest winning percentage since 1935, and won their most games since 1910. The division title was their sixth since division play began in 1969, and their first since 2008. They defeated the San Francisco Giants in four games of the NL Division Series before clinching their first NL pennant since 1945 with a sixth-game victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

For Cubs manager Joe Maddon, it was his second appearance in the World Series as manager – in 2008, he managed the Tampa Bay Rays when they beat the Boston Red Sox in seven games to win the AL pennant, then were defeated in five games by the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. It was also Maddon's third World Series appearance overall – in 2002, he was bench coach with the Anaheim Angels when they won the World Series in seven games.

Cleveland Indians

The Indians made their sixth appearance in the World Series. They won their first two championships in 1920 against the Brooklyn Robins and in 1948 against the Boston Braves. They lost their three most recent appearances in the Fall Classic, losing to the New York Giants in 1954, the Atlanta Braves in 1995, and the Florida Marlins in 1997.

The Indians qualified for the postseason by winning the American League Central, their eighth division title and their first since 2007. They defeated the Boston Red Sox in three games of the AL Division Series before clinching the pennant with a five-game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series.

For Indians manager Terry Francona, it was his third appearance in the World Series, which he entered carrying an unbeaten 8–0 record from past games in the Fall Classic. Francona has won two World Series championships, in 2004 and 2007, both with the Red Sox.

Summary

Chicago won the series, 4–3.

Game 1

Former Indians and Cubs player Kenny Lofton threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1. Corey Kluber started for the Indians, and Jon Lester started for the Cubs. Kyle Schwarber, who had missed nearly all of the 2016 season after tearing ligaments in his leg in the season's fourth game, was added to the Cubs' World Series roster and started as their designated hitter. Schwarber struck out twice, but also doubled and drew a walk. The double made Schwarber the first non-pitcher to get his first hit of the season in the World Series.

Kluber made World Series history by striking out eight hitters in the first three innings. Roberto Pérez became the first ever ninth-place hitter with two homers in a World Series game, the first Indians player to hit two homers in a Series game, and the first Puerto Rican-born player to hit two homers in a World Series game. In the first, the Indians loaded the bases off of Lester on a single and two walks before José Ramirez's single drove in a run, then Lester hit Brandon Guyer with a pitch to force in another. Perez's home run in the fifth made it 3−0 Indians. In the eighth, Justin Grimm walked Guyer with two outs and allowed a single to Lonnie Chisenhall, then Hector Rondon allowed Perez's second home run of the night. Andrew Miller and Cody Allen finished the victory for the Indians despite Miller having to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh, and the Indians took Game 1 of the series 6–0. Francona's World Series winning streak reached nine with this victory.

Game 2

Former Indians player Carlos Baerga threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2. The start time for the game was moved up an hour, because of the possibility of heavy rain in the forecast. Looking to tie the series at one game apiece, the Cubs sent Jake Arrieta to the mound against the Indians' Trevor Bauer. The Cubs also featured six players under age 25 in the starting lineup, a postseason record. The Cubs started things off early as Kris Bryant singled in the first inning and Anthony Rizzo doubled to score Bryant and give the Cubs an early 1–0 lead. Arrieta started well too, retiring the first two batters before walking back-to-back batters in the bottom of the first. However, Arrieta got a flyout to end the inning. The Cubs struck again in the third following a two-out walk by Rizzo and a single by Ben Zobrist. A single by Kyle Schwarber scored Rizzo from second and pushed the Cubs' lead to 2–0. Bauer was forced from the game in the fourth, and the Cubs struck again in the fifth. Rizzo walked again off of Zach McAllister, and Zobrist tripled to plate Rizzo. Another run-scoring single by Schwarber off of Bryan Shaw and a bases-loaded walk by Addison Russell pushed the lead to 5–0.

Arrieta continued to pitch well, walking three batters but holding the Indians without a hit into the sixth inning. In the sixth, a double by Jason Kipnis ended the no-hitter, moved to third on a groundout and scored the first Indians run on a wild pitch by Arrieta. Arrieta allowed another single and was lifted for reliever Mike Montgomery. Both teams threatened in the seventh but could not score and, following a single by Mike Napoli in the bottom of the eighth, Aroldis Chapman entered to finish the game for the Cubs. The win marked the Cubs' first World Series win since 1945 and tied up the series at one game all. The game marked Indians manager Terry Francona's first loss in ten World Series games.

Game 3

For Game 3, former Cubs player Billy Williams threw the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the game, and Bill Murray sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch, to mark the Cubs' first World Series night game at home. Chicago pitcher Kyle Hendricks started against Cleveland pitcher Josh Tomlin.

The game's only run came off a Coco Crisp single that scored Michael Martínez from third in the seventh inning. Josh Tomlin, Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw, and Cody Allen combined to shut out the Cubs. Allen earned his sixth postseason save as Javier Báez struck out swinging to end the game, leaving the tying and winning runs in scoring position. It was the fourth time in which the Cubs had lost in a shutout during the 2016 postseason.

Game 4

For Game 4, former Cubs pitchers Greg Maddux and Ferguson Jenkins threw the ceremonial first pitches before the start of the game, and Vince Vaughn sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch.

The Cubs struck first when Dexter Fowler doubled to lead off the first and scored on Anthony Rizzo's one out single, but Kluber held them to that one run through six innings before Francona turned it over to the bullpen. In the second, Carlos Santana's lead off home run off of Lackey tied the game, then with two on, Kluber's RBI single put the Indians up 2−1. Kris Bryant committed two errors in that inning. Next inning, Jason Kipnis hit a leadoff double and scored on Francisco Lindor's single. In the sixth, Lonnie Chisenhall's sacrifice fly with two on off of Mike Montgomery made it 4–1 Indians. Next inning, Justin Grimm allowed a lead off double and one-out hit-by-pitch before being relieved by Trevor Wood, who gave up a three-run home run to Kipnis put to the Indians ahead 7–1. The Cubs got one run back in the eighth, on a Dexter Fowler home run off Andrew Miller, which was the first run he gave up in the post-season. With the victory, the Indians were just one win away from a World Series championship.

Game 5

For Game 5, former Cubs star and Hall of Fame member Ryne Sandberg threw the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the game, and Eddie Vedder sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch. José Ramírez hit a home run for Cleveland in the second inning off of Jon Lester, but the Cubs, facing elimination, scored three runs in the fourth inning off of Trevor Bauer. Kris Bryant led off the inning with a home run. After Bryant's home run, Anthony Rizzo doubled and Ben Zobrist singled. Addison Russell's RBI single put the Cubs up 2−1. After Jason Heyward struck out, Javier Baez singled to move Russell to third before David Ross's sacrifice fly made it 3–1 Cubs. The Indians cut their deficit to 3−2 off of Lester in the sixth on Francisco Lindor's RBI single that scored Rajai Davis from second base. With the tying run on second base in the seventh inning, Maddon brought in Aroldis Chapman, who threw  2 ²⁄₃ scoreless innings, earning his first save of the series and fourth overall in the postseason.

Game 6

The last living member of Cleveland's 1948 World Series championship team, Eddie Robinson, attended Game 6 at Progressive Field. Former Indians pitcher Dennis Martínez threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.

The Cubs scored three runs in the first inning, all with two outs, on a Kris Bryant solo home run and a two-run double by Addison Russell after two singles off of Josh Tomlin. In the third inning, the Cubs loaded the bases on a walk and two singles off Tomlin, who was relieved by Dan Otero. Following the pitching change, Russell hit a grand slam to extend the Cubs lead to 7–0. Russell's grand slam was the first in a World Series game since Paul Konerko of the crosstown Chicago White Sox in 2005, as well as the first by a visiting player since Lonnie Smith in 1992. In the bottom of the fourth, Mike Napoli drove in Jason Kipnis, who doubled to lead off, with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 7–1. In the bottom of the fifth, Kipnis drove a ball over the left field wall for a solo home run to make it a 7–2 game. In the top of the ninth with a runner on and two outs, Anthony Rizzo drove a ball to right field for a two-run home run to make it 9–2. In the bottom of the inning, Aroldis Chapman allowed a leadoff walk to Brandon Guyer and was relieved by Pedro Strop, who threw a wild pitch to move Guyer to second and Roberto Perez's RBI single made it 9−3 Indians with Perez thrown out at second for the second out. After Carlos Santana walked, Travis Wood relieved Strop and got Jason Kipnis to pop out to short to end the game and force a Game 7.

Russell's six RBIs tied a World Series single-game record. Arrieta became the first NL starting pitcher to notch two road wins in a single World Series since Bob Gibson in 1967.

Game 7

Game 7 of the series would go down as a classic, with some calling it the greatest game seven in World Series history, comparing it to 1991 and 2001 for its drama and tension. Former Indians player Jim Thome threw the ceremonial first pitch before the game. The pitching matchup was between MLB earned run average (ERA) champion Kyle Hendricks, who had started Game 3 for the Cubs, and Corey Kluber, who had won games 1 and 4 and was pitching on three days' rest. Kluber came into the game 4–1 in the postseason with a 0.89 ERA.

Dexter Fowler led off the game with a home run for Chicago off Kluber, becoming the first player ever to hit a lead-off home run in a World Series Game 7. The Indians tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI single by Carlos Santana, but the Cubs scored two runs in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly by Addison Russell and a double by Willson Contreras. To start the fifth inning, Javier Báez hit a home run on the first pitch he saw to center to knock Kluber out of the game. ALCS MVP Andrew Miller came on in relief and gave up a walk to Kris Bryant and RBI single to Anthony Rizzo to push the lead to 5–1. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Hendricks retired the first two batters. A two-out walk to Santana was more than enough for Joe Maddon, however, to relieve his starter. This move, along with others throughout the series, would be highly criticized after the game was over, as it appeared to some that Hendricks should not have been pulled out so soon.

Jon Lester, who had started games 1 and 5, came on in relief for the first time since the 2007 ALCS, coincidentally also against the Indians. David Ross committed a throwing error that allowed Jason Kipnis to reach base and put runners on second and third. A wild pitch that ricocheted off Ross' helmet allowed Santana and Kipnis to score, narrowing the Cubs' lead to 5–3. Ross hit a home run to center in the top of the sixth to make it a 6–3 game, becoming the oldest player to hit a home run in a World Series Game 7.

Lester retired the first two batters in the eighth inning, but was pulled after a José Ramírez single. Maddon opted to use Aroldis Chapman, who had thrown 42 pitches in Game 5 and was used in Game 6 despite the fact that the Cubs had already built a large lead. Brandon Guyer promptly hit a run-scoring double off Chapman, making the score 6–4. The next batter, Indians center fielder Rajai Davis, who had hit 55 career home runs in 11 seasons entering this game, and who was hitting .132 in the postseason up to that point, hit a dramatic home run, just barely clearing the left field wall off Chapman, scoring Guyer and tying the game at 6. Davis' home run was the latest-occurring game tying home run in World Series Game 7 history.

With the game tied at six after nine innings, heavy rain rapidly approached the area, and the game went into a 17-minute rain delay. During the delay, right fielder Jason Heyward called his teammates into a weight room behind Chicago's dugout, and told them, "We're the best team in baseball. . . for a reason. . . Stick together and we're going to win this game."

When play resumed in the top of the tenth, Kyle Schwarber led off with a single off Bryan Shaw to right and was replaced by pinch runner Albert Almora. Kris Bryant then hit a deep fly ball to center, and Almora tagged up to second base, in what was called the "savviest baserunning play of the season." After an intentional walk to Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist stepped up to the plate. Zobrist delivered a clutch RBI double into the left field corner, scoring Almora, and breaking the tie. Zobrist later said, "I was just battling, grinding up there. Fortunately, that last one he left over the plate and up to where I could just slap it down the line, and that was all I was trying to do."

After another intentional walk to Addison Russell, Miguel Montero singled into left, scoring Rizzo and making the score 8–6.

Carl Edwards Jr. was called on to finish off the Indians in the bottom of the tenth, but after retiring the first two hitters, he walked Brandon Guyer. Rajai Davis, following up on his eighth-inning heroics, lined a single into center, making it a one-run game. Maddon then called on Mike Montgomery, who had zero career saves coming in, to close out the series. Montgomery retired Michael Martinez with an infield grounder fielded by Bryant, to end the series. Zobrist was awarded the World Series MVP award after hitting .357 in the series and delivering the series-winning hit.

Rizzo called the rain delay "the most important thing to happen to the Chicago Cubs in the past 100 years. I don't think there's any way we win the game without it." Cubs president Theo Epstein said that when he heard about the meeting called by Heyward, "Right then I thought, We're winning this f------ game."

The Cubs became the first team to come back from a 3–1 deficit to win the Series since the 1985 Kansas City Royals. They were also the first since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates to do so while winning Games 6 and 7 on the road.

Composite line score

2016 World Series (4–3): Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland Indians.

Television

Fox televised the series in the United States, under contract with Major League Baseball giving it exclusive rights to the World Series through 2021. Joe Buck was the network's play-by-play announcer, with John Smoltz as color commentator and Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci as field reporters. Fox Deportes also aired the Series and provided a Spanish-language simulcast over-the-air via Fox's SAP audio, with Carlos Álvarez and Duaner Sánchez announcing.

Sportsnet in English and RDS in French televised the series in Canada. Sportsnet used the MLB International feed produced by the MLB Network; Matt Vasgersian was MLB International's play-by-play announcer with the Toronto Blue Jays' play-by-play announcer Buck Martinez as their color analyst and MLB Network correspondent Lauren Shehadi and analyst Mark DeRosa as field reporters. Alain Usereau and former Montreal Expos player Marc Griffin handled the French-language telecast for RDS. BT Sport televised the series live in the United Kingdom and Ireland. WAPA-TV transmitted the series to Puerto Rico, with Rafael Bracero at the helm of the station's sports commentary of the series.

Ratings

Initial reports often utilize "fast national" ratings, which are subject to revision. Game 7 had over 40 million viewers, the largest audience for a baseball game since Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, while the series as a whole was the first to average double-digit ratings nationally since 2009.

Radio

ESPN Radio's national network covered the World Series through affiliated stations, with Dan Shulman providing the play-by-play and Aaron Boone serving as color analyst. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Archer appeared as a guest analyst for select innings of Games 1 and 2.

Locally, the teams' flagship stations broadcast the series with their regular announcers. In Cleveland, WTAM (1100) and WMMS (100.7) carried the Indians' play-by-play with Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus, while in Chicago, WSCR (670) carried the Cubs' play-by-play with Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer, and Len Kasper. The affiliate stations of the teams' regional radio networks, however, were contractually obligated to carry the national ESPN Radio feed (even so, since both WSCR and WTAM are clear-channel stations, most of the eastern and midwestern United States was able to hear the local broadcasts).

Celebration

Following the team's win in Game 7, Cubs fans congregated outside of Wrigley Field and the surrounding Wrigleyville neighborhood to celebrate the championship title. On November 4, the team's victory parade began at Wrigley Field and headed down Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Ave at downtown for a noon rally at Grant Park. Country singer Brett Eldredge sang a cover of "Go, Cubs, Go" during the rally. The city of Chicago estimated that over five million people attended the World Series parade and rally celebration, which would make it one of the largest human gatherings in history. Instead of waiting until their 2017 regular season trip to Washington, the Cubs chose to make the traditional White House visit during then-President, and Chicago native, Barack Obama's final week in office on January 16th, 2017.