masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series, it was 1948 and they beat the Boston Braves, four games to two. The last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, it was 1908 and they beat the Detroit Tigers, four games to one.
Tonight, one of those teams will end a long World Series victory drought with a win in Game 7 as the Indians host the Cubs. Chicago scored just 10 runs in the first five games of the World Series before last night’s 9-3 win to force tonight’s decisive game….

The last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series, it was 1948 and they beat the Boston Braves, four games to two. The last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, it was 1908 and they beat the Detroit Tigers, four games to one.

Tonight, one of those teams will end a long World Series victory drought with a win in Game 7 as the Indians host the Cubs. Chicago scored just 10 runs in the first five games of the World Series before last night’s 9-3 win to force tonight’s decisive game. The second through fifth hitters in the Cubs lineup last night went a combined 12-for-23 with a double, three homers, nine runs and nine RBIs.

So in honor of the last day of the 2016 baseball season, we bring back the game blog tonight for one last appearance this year. Feel free to leave comments here starting now and going throughout the game tonight on Game 7 or any Orioles topics we have recently discussed or that you would like to see discussed.

toronto-baseballs.jpgTonight’s pitching matchup features Cleveland’s Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14 ERA) against Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks (16-8, 2.13 ERA) in a matchup of right-handers.

Kluber, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner, is 4-1 with an ERA of 0.89 in five postseason starts, allowing just three runs over 30 1/3 innings. In two World Series starts, he is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. The Indians went 20-12 in Kluber’s regular season starts and 4-1 when he starts in the playoffs.

Hendricks, the major league leader in ERA this season, is 1-1 with a 1.31 ERA in four postseason starts. He started Game 3 against Cleveland and went 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and no runs on 85 pitches. The Cubs went 19-11 in his regular season starts and are 2-2 when he starts in the playoffs.

More World Series notes:

* The last team to win Games 6 and 7 on the road after being down three games to one was the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates against the Orioles. They won Game 6 by a 4-0 score and Game 7 by a 4-1 count at Memorial Stadium.

* Nine of the last 10 World Series Game 7s were won by the home team. But the road team won the last one (2014, Giants at Royals).

* The Cubs are the first road team to win Game 6 of the World Series when facing elimination since the 1997 Indians.

* Kluber is pitching Game 7 after starting Games 1 and 4. There have been 18 pitchers to start Games 1-4-7 and they have gone a combined 9-7 with a 3.00 ERA in Game 7.

* The home teams are 19-18 all-time in Game 7.

The previous five teams that rallied from down 3-1 to win the World Series:

1925 – Pirates over Senators
1958 – Yankees over Milwaukee Braves
1968 – Tigers over Cardinals
1979 – Pirates over Orioles
1985 – Royals over Cardinals

So who do you think wins Game 7? Leave comments here during the game tonight. Check in also with any O’s comments and/or questions and I’ll check in often and share some opinions as well. Enjoy the baseball finale!