Game 7 of the World Series. It’s a magical scenario that Addison Russell probably fantasized about while playing Little League games a few years ago. It’s something Cubs fans haven’t considered since 1945. Now 22, Russell helped that dream become a reality, hitting a grand slam and driving in six runs to help the Cubs post a 9-3 victory over the Indians on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
Kris Bryant chipped in with four hits and a solo home run, Jake Arrieta struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball and the Cubs got another extended outing from closer Aroldis Chapman to set up the 37th winner-take-all Game 7 in World Series history. The most recent such game came in 2014, when San Francisco edged Kansas City.
On Wednesday night, the Cubs will try to end the longest championship drought in professional sports (108 years), while the Indians have a chance to capture their first World Series title since 1948 and join their neighbors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, as 2016 champions.
“I think tomorrow we’re going to come to the clubhouse with a lot of confidence and a lot of energy,” Russell said. “Game 7, it’s a kid’s dream.”
Russell, who became the second-youngest player behind Mickey Mantle (21 years old, 1953) to hit a grand slam in a Fall Classic game, tied a single-game World Series record with his RBI total, which he reached in the third inning.
“I feel like that was the hit of the night there,” Bryant said. “Anytime you get four runs on one swing, and to go up, I think it was 7-0, that was huge. He’s had a lot of big home runs this postseason. That might have been the biggest.”
Chapman, who recorded the final eight outs of Chicago’s win in Game 5, was called on in the seventh and got the final out to end a Tribe threat. He then turned in a scoreless eighth and returned for the ninth even after Anthony Rizzo’s two-run shot in the top of the inning gave the Cubs a seven-run lead. Manager Joe Maddon gave the big left-hander a break after he walked Brandon Guyer to start the ninth, with Pedro Strop and Travis Wood getting the last three outs of the Series-tying win.
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