In the top of the fourth, as the game started to get the feel of a championship boxing match, the Cubs would again land a solid, staggering blow. The Indians would capitalize in the bottom of the third inning. Schwarber tried to push what would’ve otherwise been a long single into a double and he just didn’t have the wheels to get in to second ahead of the throw. The Cubs went down in order in the top of the third inning but only after Kyle Schwarber sliced a ball down the right field line and into the corner. The next batter up, Rajai Davis, would ground into a Bryant-to-Baez-to-Rizzo double play and, just like that, the Cubs were out of a precarious inning unscathed, still clinging to the lead. What would’ve likely been runners at first and second turned out to be a runner at first base with one out. The pick-off turned out to be even bigger after Chisenhall singled off Hendricks. With Lonnie Chisenhall at the plate and Ramirez taking an agressive lead at first base, Hendricks quickly spun and threw a dart to Anthony Rizzo to pick off Ramirez and erase the momentum that Cleveland was building. In the bottom of the second inning Jose Ramirez led off the inning with a single and it looked like the Cubs might be at risk of losing their slim one run lead. The Cleveland Indians bats would respond, and quickly. It was the first time in World Series history that a lead-off batter hit a home run in a game 7. Dexter Fowler crushed the fourth pitch of the game from Corey Kluber deep over the center field wall and the stadium, filled about a quarter of the way with Cubs fans, exploded in cheers while Indians fans were dazed and confused. The first inning started out perfectly for the Cubs. This feeling isn’t going to go away anytime soon. Soak that in, take a nap, wake up and soak it in some more. It was a game like you’d expect for a team, an organization, that has a cult-like following spanning generations. In a game for the ages, the Chicago Cubs ended their World Championship drought in dramatic fashion.

2016 world series game 7 first pitch