World Series goes to Game 7 as Cubs Rout Indians 9 – 3

The Chicago Cubs level Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship by routing the Cleveland Indians 9-3 on Tuesday. The win sets up a winner-take-all Game Seven of the World Series.

As the Cubs Face elimination, current Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta won his second of the series. He was ably supported by shortstop Addison Russell. The 22-year-old cracked a grand slam on his way to registering a World Series record-tying six runs batted in.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo also homered for Chicago, who erupted for 13 hits off six Indians pitchers. Bryant tallied four hits in the game.

For the second time in as many games, the Cubs put on hold the Indians celebration of a first World Series crown since 1948. More importantly, the victory kept alive the Cubs’ pursuit of winning their first Fall Classic title in 108 years.

One of the teams will certainly end their drought on Wednesday. However, Cleveland fans who came to celebrate a Game Six clincher on an unusually warm night were disheartened and left the ballpark early as the Cubs coasted.

“It’s OK,” said Leah Hoheaverger, “We are used to being the underdogs.” She left before the end of the eighth inning as fans spilled out of Progressive Field.

Arrieta pitched 5-2/3 innings. He gave up three hits and two runs while striking out nine in notching the win assisted by four relievers.

The determined Cubs entered the game with a team batting average of .210 with only 10 runs in the first five games and were shut out twice.

Moreover, the National League champions topped the majors with 103 wins in the regular season. They quickly transformed the game into a laugher with two big innings.

The Cubs thundered out of the gate with three runs in the first. Two of the runs came from a huge blunder by Cleveland outfielders.

Bryant crushed a hanging curve ball from losing pitcher Josh Tomlin to left-center for a two-out home run.

Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist lined singles before Russell slapped a pop fly that center-fielder Tyler Naquin and right-fielder Lonnie Chisenhall allowed to drop between them in a communication lapse.

In a communication lapse, center-fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall allowed a slapped pop fly from Russell to drop between them. The gaffe allowed Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist to score as they were lined up on bases via their singles.

Russell fully earned his next four RBIs.

The shortstop swung a grand slam over the wall in center to chalk up Kyle Schwarber, Rizzo and Zobrist before of him to make it 7-0.

The bases-loaded blast provided Russell six RBIs for the game. Furthermore, it tied him with Bobby Richardson (1960), Hideki Matsui (2009) and Albert Pujols (2011) for most in a World Series game.

In the fourth, Kipnis doubled and scored on Mike Napoli’s single for Cleveland’s first hit and first run. Kipnis homered in the fifth to make it 7-2.

Rizzo’s two-run shot in the ninth and a last-gasp run by Cleveland ended the contest.

Game Seven will be played in Cleveland on Wednesday. The Indians starting ace Corey Kluber won two games already this series. He will go up against the National League ERA leader, Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks.

“It’s Game Seven,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “You’ve got two really, really good pitchers, and it will be exciting. It’s an honor to even be a part of it, and we’re going to give it everything we have.”

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