In front of a home crowd waiting literally decades for this night to come, the Chicago Cubs struck early to beat Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago won Game 6 of the National League Championship Series 5-0 on Saturday night at Wrigley Field, advancing to the World Series for the first time in 71 years.
Dodgers vs. Cubs 2016 final score: Chicago wins Game 6, advances to first World Series since 1945
Cubs won the final three games to close out the NLCS
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
The Cubs will battle the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series in a matchup of teams that haven’t won a championship in generations. The Indians’ last title came in 1948, but the Cubs have that dry spell beat and then some, having last won the Fall Classic in 1908.
The 2016 version of the Cubs look like just the team to snap that long drought. They’re armed with young and athletic talents on offense, as well as an experienced pitching staff and a great defense that combined to prevent runs better than any other team in baseball.
After winning 103 games during the regular season, the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants in four games in the NLDS, then won the final three games against the Dodgers to win the NLCS in six.
In Game 6 on Saturday night the Cubs came out swinging early, with Dexter Fowler doubling to right field then scoring on a Kris Bryant single, giving Chicago more offense through two batters than they had against Kershaw in all of Game 2. But they weren’t done.
An error added a second run in the first inning, and Fowler drove in another run with a single in the second. Then Willson Contreras homered in the fourth and Anthony Rizzo homered in the fifth, sending the Wrigley Field crowd and the thousands in the surrounding streets into a frenzy.
The lead was more than enough for Kyle Hendricks, the major league leader in ERA (2.13) during the regular season. Hendricks in Game 6 pitched 7⅓ scoreless innings to earn the win.
Second baseman Javier Baez and pitcher Jon Lester were named co-MVPs of the NLCS.
The Cubs won their 11th National League pennant, and will try for their third World Series championship beginning Tuesday night in Cleveland.
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