Chicago Cubs win World Series for first time in 108 years

ByThe Associated Press WTVD logo
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Chicago Cubs players celebrate a long awaited baseball championship after the end of Game 7 in Cleveland.
Chicago Cubs players celebrate a long awaited baseball championship after the end of Game 7 in Cleveland.
David J. Phillip-AP

CLEVELAND (WTVD) -- The wait till next year is finally over. The Chicago Cubs are World Series champions.

Ending more than a century of flops, futility and frustration, the Cubs won their first title since 1908, outlasting the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings of a Game 7 thriller early Thursday.

Losers for generations, the Cubs nearly let this one get away, too. All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman blew a three-run lead with two outs in the eighth when Rajai Davis hit a tying homer.

Cubs fans celebrate for the first time since 1908.
Charles Rex Arbogast

But the Cubs, after tormenting their fans one more time, came right back after a 17-minute rain delay before the top of the 10th.

Ben Zobrist hit an RBI double and Miguel Montero singled home a run to make it 8-6. Davis delivered an RBI single with two outs in the bottom half, but Mike Montgomery closed it out, and the celebration was on.

RELATED: 2016 Cubs World Series win predicted in 1993 HS yearbook

Blue-clad Cubs fans filled nearly the entire lower deck behind the Chicago dugout at Progressive Field, singing "Go! Cubs! Go!"

Manager Joe Maddon's team halted the longest title drought in baseball, becoming the first club to overcome a 3-1 Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals.

Cleveland was trying to win its first crown since 1948, but lost the last two games at home.

World Series favorites since spring training, Chicago led the majors with 103 wins this season. The Cubs then ended more than a century of misery for their loyal fans - barely.

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