The first game of the 2016 World Series was certainly meme worthy, as the Cleveland Indians shut out the Chicago Cubs, making the talk of droughts and curses relevant again.
Basically, the Cubs couldn’t clinch scoring situations. They got on base through hits and walks, but with Jon Lester having a bad game for the first time in this postseason, they needed a little bit more from their offense, and especially their big hitters.
The Indians got the usual dose of dominance from their pitching staff and especially the bullpen, although they leaned on it for only 3 innings this time, a combination of Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. Their offense produced six runs, five of them coming in 2-out situations. The Cubs weren’t too far behind in this game, at least not until Roberto Perez hit a 3-run homer in the 8th.
What now? Nothing changes except for the pitchers on the mound. The Cubs are hoping Jake Arrieta starts playing better, while the Indians rely on the arms of their pitching staff and history to be on their side. They haven’t won anything since 1948, but that seems like yesterday compared to how long the Cubs have been waiting for some glory.