World Series 2016: Chicago Cubs win 9-3, force Game 7 vs. Cleveland Indians
CLEVELAND (WLS) -- Addison Russell hit a grand slam and drove in a record-tying six runs, leading the Chicago Cubs over the Cleveland Indians 9-3 Tuesday night and forcing the World Series to a deciding Game 7.
Indians ace Corey Kluber, dominant while winning Games 1 and 4, starts again on short rest Wednesday night at home against big league ERA leader Kyle Hendricks.
The Cubs are trying to overcome a 3-1 Series deficit for their first championship since 1908. The Indians haven't won it all since 1948.
Kris Bryant had four hits for Chicago and homered for the second straight game. Anthony Rizzo also homered.
The Cubs got two gift runs in the first inning when Russell's pop fly dropped between two outfielders.
Jake Arrieta cruised to the win, adding to his victory in Game 2. Closer Aroldis Chapman got four outs before exiting in the ninth.
Russell's slam in the third made it 7-0. He tied Albert Pujols, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Richardson for most RBIs in a Series game.
The Greenberg house, half a block from Wrigley Field, is its own Friendly Confines Monday night. The front yard is decked out with two TVs, Cubs banners and great company.
"Over the weekend, we had about 50 people standing outside the fence. Everybody was cheering. We went live on Facebook and everybody was singing 'Go Cubs Go,'" said Nicole Greenberg.
Fans are hungry, and not just for wins. At Giordano's on Rush Street, extra staff are on hand to meet demand. Last weekend was the busiest in Giordano's history.
"Busier than anything. The busiest we've ever had was this past weekend," said Patrick D'Andrea, general manager.
Though crowds in Wrigleyville are not what they were over the weekend there are still parking restrictions in place, and not just near the ballpark.
"We would expect crowds coming down to our entertainment areas throughout the city, not just Wrigley Field, but up around Division Street, State Street," said Rich Guidice, OEMC.
For now, there are no plans for a Game 7 watch party at Wrigley Field.
"I told the Cubs if they want to do one, do one. I support the effort to do one. Whether there's a central watch party, there will always be a watch party, and everybody's rooting for the Cubs," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Chicago Police are beefing up staffing for Wednesday night. ABC7 was told officers will be on 12-hour shifts, and days off have been canceled.
GAME 6 AND 7 PARKING RESTRICTIONS
No parking between Tuesday, Nov. 1 at noon through Friday, Nov. 4 at 4:00 a.m.:
- Clark from Aldine to Irving Park
- Sheffield from Grace to Roscoe
- Addison from Halsted to Southport
- Racine from: Clark to Roscoe
- Irving Park from Clark to Seminary
- Eddy from Clark to Racine
- Cornelia from Clark to Racine
- Newport from Clark to Racine
- Patterson from Clark to Racine
- Clifton: Waveland to Grace
- Seminary: Waveland to Grace
- Kenmore: Waveland to Grace
- Seminary: Newport to Eddy
- Cornelia: Wilton to Sheffield
- Grace: Wilton to Clark
- Waveland: Wilton to Racine Waveland: Wilton-Racine
Through Wednesday, Nov. 2, motorists and residents can also expect parking restrictions from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, on the following streets:
- Webster: Sheffield to Bissell
- Lincoln: Webster to Fullerton
- Division: State to Dearborn
- Hubbard: State to LaSalle
- Wells: North Avenue to Division
- Kinzie: State to Clark
CUBS FANS REPRESENT IN CLEVELAND, AT HOME
Greg Warken and his wife, Jamie, traveled to Cleveland Tuesday to cheer on the Cubbies in Game 6 of the World Series - and possibly Game 7.
"To be there and to cheer on the boys as they walk onto the field? It's unbelievable," Jamie Warken said.
The die-hard Cubs fans got their tickets in a genius way.
"I signed up for the Cleveland Indians Insider about two weeks ago when they were up 3-0 on the Blue Jays. I got them at face value via a presale because I just signed up for that," Greg Warken said.
Another family - three generations - were in Cleveland as well, but only two of them were bleeding Cubbie blue.
"I just think come out strong and I think we'll have it," said Lee Evans, Jr., Cubs fan.
"Yeah, I think his grandfather got to him," said his father Lee Evans, Indians fan.
"It's one of the greatest days of my life, it's the old with the new. They're from Cleveland, we're from the Chicago area, and God is great," said grandfather Mike Farr, Cubs fan.
Split loyalties or not, they'll watch Game 6 together and cherish every moment.
"I feel excited because this is my first time at this stadium and my first World Series game," said young Lee.
"Just get off to a good start and keep the good pitching going," said Farr.
Even the Indians fan in the family couldn't help but give a little praise to the Cubs.
"I tell you what, I was at Wrigley for Game 5. It was my first time there and it was unbelievable, unbelievable. But I hope, I hope we get it done here," Evans said.
Two other Chicago friends were spotted outside Progressive Field in unusual garb: Cleveland Indians hats.
"Another team, my friend, any other team I would be wearing a Cubs hat today," said Brett Wachter.
Wachter and Jason Scott have been friends for 35 years.
"Can't ask for a better day to win the World Series," Scott said.
On Halloween, Wachter was home in Chicago greeting trick or treaters and facing some unexpected hostility.
"Halloween was last night, right? I'm sitting outside, giving away candy, and I've got a bunch of kids going by, refusing to take any candy from me because I've got an Indians flag hanging out front my house," he said.
Family is part of the Cubs understood by so many who root for them.
"The first post I put up on Facebook was 'I hope the news made it up to heaven so my father-in-law knows,'" said Corrine Streff.
Corrine and her husband Paul were at Wrigely Field this weekend. On their drive back to New York they stopped at Progressive Field, both thinking about Paul's dad and keeping their word.
"Him and I always had a promise, if the Cubs ever make the World Series, we will be in Chicago. So I'm keeping the promise. I kept the promise; we packed up the car and went to Chicago," Paul said.
Some fans got on a few early Southwest Airlines flights out of Midway International Airport, hoping to score tickets when they get to Cleveland.
"Well we're going to check into our hotel, have lunch and head down there. I don't know, we're going to look at StubHub," said Diane McGreal, a Cubs fan.
Ticket prices on the secondary market for Game 6 weren't as astronomical as they were for World Series games at Wrigley Field.
Seats behind home plate at Progressive Field ranged from $1,200-$2,000. As of Tuesday morning, the cheapest tickets on StubHub were in the right field terrace standing area for about $635.
Though the game is in Cleveland, the pilgrimage to Wrigleyville during the series continues. The outer bleacher wall of Wrigley Field was covered in thousands of messages in chalk Monday, with barely an inch of free space remaining.
"My grandpa just died and my mom's like, 'Your grandpa would have loved to have seen that.' It's kind of emotional and I hope they can pull it off this year. It would be awesome," said Megan Jansky, Cubs fan.
The Muldowney clan brought what they hope will be the luck of the Irish with them.
"We're all going to bring it to the table. Hopefully Jamie, Abby and Ross. We all have our hats and we're getting ready to cheer them on. We're getting very involved in it!" said Seamus Muldowny.
Memorabilia is literally flying off the shelves at Sports World Chicago.
"Before they made the series I was looking for a Baez jersey but I couldn't find one because they weren't really being made, and now I can't find one because he's so popular they're just flying off the shelf. So I'm going with the kid sizes right now," said Liz Peters.
In southwest suburban Tinley Park, Ron Vandewiel doesn't just fly the W, it's rooted in the ground of his home. He mowed it in the grass and spray painted it himself, one of many ways he shows he bleeds Cubbie blue. The neighborhood has taken notice.
"They're beeping the horns. They're showing support. People coming out taking pictures; Tinley Park has a lot of Cubs fans," said Vandewiel.
His eye-catching display includes jerseys he made himself out of flooring hanging on his back fence, a Cubs scarecrow and a giant "holy cow" banner.
Vandewiel also replicated the Friendly Confines in his basement, where he will have his family over Monday night for a watch party. He also has a prized memorabilia collection.
"I've loved them through thick and thin, even in the 70s when they weren't good. I used to watch all the time. So this, with winning, is a bonus to it," he said.
Michael Osacky was a teenager when he started collecting baseball memorabilia. The 35-year-old has some rare Cubs items from the 1945 World Series, including pennants costing anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000. He also has a 1950s-era steamer trunk that a Cubs player would use for road trips.
"I know if something is rare and unique sometimes I'll have to pay up for it, but I'm OK with that because in my mind, I know I won't see this again," Osacky said.
Win or lose, Wrigleyville's bar owners and the City are prepared. While not on the level of this past weekend, parking bans remain and not just around Wrigley Field.
"We would expect crowds coming down to our entertainment areas, not just Wrigley Field but up around Division and State, so we have a plan in place that's going to cover the whole city," said Rich Guidice, OEMC.
WORLD SERIES TOURISM BOOST
The Cubs brought in big bucks for some homeowners in Chicago. Airbnb reports 9,000 people stayed in rental properties this past weekend. That brought in about $2.6 million for host homes.
Surprisingly, most of the rentals were not on the North Side. Airbnb said 273 people stayed in Pilsen, 230 people stayed in Uptown, 121 people stayed in Garfield Park, 111 people stayed in Bronzeville and 69 people stayed in Little Village.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
