CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo caught the ball for the final out and Wrigley Field erupted.
"I'm sleeping with this thing tonight," the Chicago Cubs first baseman told the pulsating crowd moments later, kissing the prized souvenir. "Are you kidding me? We're going to the World Series."
Cubs ... World Series? Yes, the Cubbies!
Next up, Game 1 in Cleveland.
With fans chanting, singing and waving those Ws, shaking the century-old ballpark and jamming the streets of Wrigleyville, the Cubs celebrated a moment many of their faithful wondered whether they would ever see.
Kyle Hendricks outpitched Clayton Kershaw, Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered early and the Cubs took their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Saturday night to win the NL Championship Series in six games.
"Listen to them. Outside before the game was crazy. Inside the game was crazy," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said.
"These guys have done nothing but support us from Day One. It's been unbelievable to be here and be part of this. Words can't really describe where I'm at right now," he said.
Cursed by a Billy Goat, bedeviled by Bartman and crushed by decades of disappointment, those "Lovable Losers" now have a chance to win it all.
Trying to win their first crown since 1908, manager Joe Maddon's team opens the World Series against Cleveland on Tuesday night.
The Indians haven't won it all since 1948 -- Cleveland and Cubs have the two longest title waits in the majors.
"This city deserves it so much," Rizzo said. "We got four more big ones to go, but we're going to enjoy this. We're going to the World Series. I can't even believe that."
All-everything Javier Baez and Lester shared the NLCS MVP. Baez hit .318, drove in five runs and made several sharp plays at second base. Lester, a former World Series champion in Boston, was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.
The drought ended when Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play , setting off a wild celebration. And if they bring home the elusive championship?
"I may make the `W' a tattoo," said chairman Tom Ricketts , who once lived across the street and met his wife in the bleachers.
Deemed World Series favorites since opening day, the Cubs topped the majors with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then beat the Giants and Dodgers in the playoffs.
The Cubs overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Dodgers and won their 17th pennant. They had not earned a World Series trip since winning a doubleheader opener 4-3 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 29, 1945, to clinch the pennant on the next-to-last day of the season.
The eternal "wait till next year" is over. No more dwelling on a history of failure -- the future is now.
"We're too young. We don't care about it," star slugger Kris Bryant said. "We don't look into it. This is a new team, this is a completely different time of our lives. We're enjoying it and our work's just getting started."
Hendricks pitched two-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings . Chapman took over and closed with hitless relief, then threw both arms in the air as he was mobbed by teammates and coaches.
The Dodgers sent the minimum 27 batters to the plate and no one got past first base.
The Cubs shook off back-to-back shutout losses earlier in this series by pounding the Dodgers for 23 runs to win the final three games.
And they were in no way overwhelmed by the moment on Saturday, putting aside previous frustration.
In the 1945 Series, the Billy Goat Curse supposedly began when a tavern owner wasn't allowed to bring his goat to Wrigley. In 2003, the Cubs lost the final three games of the NLCS to Florida, punctuated with a Game 6 defeat when fan Steve Bartman deflected a foul ball.
Even as recently as 2012, the Cubs lost 101 times.
This time, no such ill luck.
Bryant had an RBI single and scored in a two-run first . Dexter Fowler added two hits, drove in a run and scored one.
Contreras led off the fourth with a homer.Rizzo continued his resurgence with a solo drive in the fifth.
That was plenty for Hendricks, the major league ERA leader.
Hendricks left to a standing ovation after Josh Reddick singled with one out in the eighth. The only other hit Hendricks allowed was a single by Andrew Toles on the game's first pitch.
Kershaw, dominant in Game 2, gave up five runs and seven hits before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth. He fell to 4-7 in the postseason.
"This day is never fun, the ending of a season," Kershaw said.
The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since winning in 1988.
Pitching on five days' rest, Kershaw needed 30 pitches to get through the first. Fowler led off with a double against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, and Bryant's single had the crowd shaking the 102-year-old ballpark.
Fans had more to cheer when left fielder Andrew Toles dropped Rizzo's fly, putting runners on second and third, and Ben Zobrist made it 2-0 a sacrifice fly.
The Cubs added a run in the second when Addison Russell doubled to deep left and scored on a two-out single by Fowler.
LINEUP SHUFFLE
Maddon benched slumping right fielder Jason Heyward in favor of Albert Almora Jr.
"Kershaw's pitching, so I wanted to get one more right-handed bat in the lineup, and also with Albert I don't feel like we're losing anything on defense," Maddon said. "I know Jason's a Gold Glover, but I think Albert, given an opportunity to play often enough would be considered a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, too."
Heyward was 2 for 28 in the playoffs -- 1 for 16 in the NLCS.
SEEN
Kerry Wood, wearing a Ron Santo jersey, threw out the first pitch and actor Jim Belushi delivered the "Play Ball!" call before the game. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder and actor John Cusack were also in attendance. And Bulls great Scottie Pippen led the seventh-inning stretch.
Los Angeles Dodgers
"I'm sleeping with this thing tonight," the Chicago Cubs first baseman told the pulsating crowd moments later, kissing the prized souvenir. "Are you kidding me? We're going to the World Series."
Cubs ... World Series? Yes, the Cubbies!
Next up, Game 1 in Cleveland.
With fans chanting, singing and waving those Ws, shaking the century-old ballpark and jamming the streets of Wrigleyville, the Cubs celebrated a moment many of their faithful wondered whether they would ever see.
Kyle Hendricks outpitched Clayton Kershaw, Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered early and the Cubs took their first pennant since 1945, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Saturday night to win the NL Championship Series in six games.
"Listen to them. Outside before the game was crazy. Inside the game was crazy," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said.
"These guys have done nothing but support us from Day One. It's been unbelievable to be here and be part of this. Words can't really describe where I'm at right now," he said.
Cursed by a Billy Goat, bedeviled by Bartman and crushed by decades of disappointment, those "Lovable Losers" now have a chance to win it all.
Trying to win their first crown since 1908, manager Joe Maddon's team opens the World Series against Cleveland on Tuesday night.
The Indians haven't won it all since 1948 -- Cleveland and Cubs have the two longest title waits in the majors.
"This city deserves it so much," Rizzo said. "We got four more big ones to go, but we're going to enjoy this. We're going to the World Series. I can't even believe that."
All-everything Javier Baez and Lester shared the NLCS MVP. Baez hit .318, drove in five runs and made several sharp plays at second base. Lester, a former World Series champion in Boston, was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Dodgers.
The drought ended when Aroldis Chapman got Yasiel Puig to ground into a double play , setting off a wild celebration. And if they bring home the elusive championship?
"I may make the `W' a tattoo," said chairman Tom Ricketts , who once lived across the street and met his wife in the bleachers.
Deemed World Series favorites since opening day, the Cubs topped the majors with 103 wins to win the NL Central, then beat the Giants and Dodgers in the playoffs.
The Cubs overcame a 2-1 deficit against the Dodgers and won their 17th pennant. They had not earned a World Series trip since winning a doubleheader opener 4-3 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 29, 1945, to clinch the pennant on the next-to-last day of the season.
The eternal "wait till next year" is over. No more dwelling on a history of failure -- the future is now.
"We're too young. We don't care about it," star slugger Kris Bryant said. "We don't look into it. This is a new team, this is a completely different time of our lives. We're enjoying it and our work's just getting started."
Hendricks pitched two-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings . Chapman took over and closed with hitless relief, then threw both arms in the air as he was mobbed by teammates and coaches.
The Dodgers sent the minimum 27 batters to the plate and no one got past first base.
The Cubs shook off back-to-back shutout losses earlier in this series by pounding the Dodgers for 23 runs to win the final three games.
And they were in no way overwhelmed by the moment on Saturday, putting aside previous frustration.
In the 1945 Series, the Billy Goat Curse supposedly began when a tavern owner wasn't allowed to bring his goat to Wrigley. In 2003, the Cubs lost the final three games of the NLCS to Florida, punctuated with a Game 6 defeat when fan Steve Bartman deflected a foul ball.
Even as recently as 2012, the Cubs lost 101 times.
This time, no such ill luck.
Bryant had an RBI single and scored in a two-run first . Dexter Fowler added two hits, drove in a run and scored one.
Contreras led off the fourth with a homer.Rizzo continued his resurgence with a solo drive in the fifth.
That was plenty for Hendricks, the major league ERA leader.
Hendricks left to a standing ovation after Josh Reddick singled with one out in the eighth. The only other hit Hendricks allowed was a single by Andrew Toles on the game's first pitch.
Kershaw, dominant in Game 2, gave up five runs and seven hits before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth. He fell to 4-7 in the postseason.
"This day is never fun, the ending of a season," Kershaw said.
The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since winning in 1988.
Pitching on five days' rest, Kershaw needed 30 pitches to get through the first. Fowler led off with a double against the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, and Bryant's single had the crowd shaking the 102-year-old ballpark.
Fans had more to cheer when left fielder Andrew Toles dropped Rizzo's fly, putting runners on second and third, and Ben Zobrist made it 2-0 a sacrifice fly.
The Cubs added a run in the second when Addison Russell doubled to deep left and scored on a two-out single by Fowler.
LINEUP SHUFFLE
Maddon benched slumping right fielder Jason Heyward in favor of Albert Almora Jr.
"Kershaw's pitching, so I wanted to get one more right-handed bat in the lineup, and also with Albert I don't feel like we're losing anything on defense," Maddon said. "I know Jason's a Gold Glover, but I think Albert, given an opportunity to play often enough would be considered a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder, too."
Heyward was 2 for 28 in the playoffs -- 1 for 16 in the NLCS.
SEEN
Kerry Wood, wearing a Ron Santo jersey, threw out the first pitch and actor Jim Belushi delivered the "Play Ball!" call before the game. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder and actor John Cusack were also in attendance. And Bulls great Scottie Pippen led the seventh-inning stretch.
Coverage: FS1
8:00 PM ET, October 22, 2016
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Los Angeles - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Toles singled to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Seager grounded into double play, second to first, Toles out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| Turner flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Clayton Kershaw pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Fowler hit a ground rule double to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Bryant singled to right, Fowler scored. | 0 | 1 |
| Rizzo safe at second on error by left fielder Toles, Bryant to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Zobrist hit sacrifice fly to center, Bryant scored, Rizzo to third. | 0 | 2 |
| Báez popped out to first. | 0 | 2 |
| Contreras grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| González grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| Reddick safe at first on error by second baseman Báez. | 0 | 2 |
| Pederson struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Reddick picked off first. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Clayton Kershaw pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Russell doubled to left. | 0 | 2 |
| Almora Jr. grounded out to third. | 0 | 2 |
| Hendricks struck out looking. | 0 | 2 |
| Fowler singled to left, Russell scored, Fowler thrown out at second attempting to advance on play. | 0 | 3 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Grandal struck out swinging. | 0 | 3 |
| Utley lined out to left. | 0 | 3 |
| Kershaw struck out swinging. | 0 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Clayton Kershaw pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Bryant flied out to right. | 0 | 3 |
| Rizzo doubled to deep center. | 0 | 3 |
| Zobrist flied out to center, Rizzo to third. | 0 | 3 |
| Báez struck out swinging. | 0 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Toles flied out to right. | 0 | 3 |
| Seager grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 3 |
| Turner grounded out to first. | 0 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Clayton Kershaw pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Contreras homered to left (377 feet). | 0 | 4 |
| Russell fouled out to first. | 0 | 4 |
| Almora Jr. grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 4 |
| Hendricks grounded out to third. | 0 | 4 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| González grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 4 |
| Reddick fouled out to second. | 0 | 4 |
| Pederson struck out swinging. | 0 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Clayton Kershaw pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Fowler struck out looking. | 0 | 4 |
| Bryant lined out to shortstop. | 0 | 4 |
| Rizzo homered to right center (392 feet). | 0 | 5 |
| Zobrist struck out looking. | 0 | 5 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Grandal struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| Utley grounded out to second. | 0 | 5 |
| Ethier hit for Kershaw. | 0 | 5 |
| Ethier grounded out to third. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Kenley Jansen pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Jansen relieved Kershaw. | 0 | 5 |
| Báez grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 5 |
| Contreras flied out to left. | 0 | 5 |
| Russell struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Toles popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 5 |
| Seager struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| Turner fouled out to first. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Kenley Jansen pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Almora Jr. struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| Hendricks flied out to right. | 0 | 5 |
| Fowler struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Hendricks pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| González flied out to center. | 0 | 5 |
| Reddick singled to right center. | 0 | 5 |
| Chapman relieved Hendricks. | 0 | 5 |
| Kendrick hit for Pederson. | 0 | 5 |
| Kendrick grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Reddick out at second. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Chicago - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Kenley Jansen pitching for Los Angeles | LAD | CHC |
| Toles in center field. | 0 | 5 |
| Kendrick in left field. | 0 | 5 |
| Bryant struck out looking. | 0 | 5 |
| Rizzo lined out to center. | 0 | 5 |
| Zobrist grounded out to third. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Aroldis Chapman pitching for Chicago | LAD | CHC |
| Heyward in right field. | 0 | 5 |
| Almora Jr. in left field. | 0 | 5 |
| Hernández hit for Grandal. | 0 | 5 |
| Hernández struck out swinging. | 0 | 5 |
| Ruiz hit for Utley. | 0 | 5 |
| Ruiz walked. | 0 | 5 |
| Puig hit for Jansen. | 0 | 5 |
| Puig grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Ruiz out at second. | 0 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Los Angeles Dodgers
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toles LF-CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .462 | .467 | .615 |
| Seager SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .286 | .375 | .286 |
| Turner 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | .200 | .333 | .350 |
| González 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .190 | .261 | .333 |
| Reddick RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .364 | .364 | .364 |
| Pederson CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .190 | .227 | .238 |
b-Kendrick PH-LF
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .154 | .154 | .231 |
| Grandal C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .083 | .313 | .333 |
c-Hernández PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .000 | .273 | .000 |
| Utley 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .000 | .143 | .000 |
d-Ruiz PH
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | .143 | .250 | .286 |
| Kershaw P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .250 | .250 | .250 |
a-Ethier PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .250 | .400 | 1.000 |
Jansen P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
e-Puig PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .286 | .286 | .286 |
| Totals | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 103 | |||
| a-grounded to third for C Kershaw in the 6th b-grounded to shortstop for J Pederson in the 8th c-struck out swinging for Y Grandal in the 9th d-walked for C Utley in the 9th e-grounded to second for K Jansen in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING GIDP: Seager, Kendrick, Puig Team LOB: 0 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING Picked Off: Reddick (1st base by Hendricks) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Toles (2, line drive) Outfield Assist: Toles (Fowler at 2nd base). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Attendance | 42,386 (103.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:36 |
| Weather | 61 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 5 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Ted Barrett, First Base - Bill Welke, Second Base - Eric Cooper, Third Base - Gary Cederstrom, Left Field - Angel Hernandez, Right Field - Alfonso Marquez |
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