Imrem: There's nothing like a World Series Game 7
Rarely do a word and number complement each other as sweetly as this: Game 7.
Even more so in baseball than basketball or hockey.
Game 7 of the World Series.
Think of how many times that event is applied to other industries.
“She sells cars every day like it's the seventh game of the World Series” and “He teaches school every day like it's the seventh game of the World Series.”
The Cubs and Indians will play Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night at Cleveland like, well, like it's the seventh game of the World Series.
The Cubs won 9-3 on Tuesday night to tie the Indians at three victories apiece and Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “It's probably correct that (this series) should go seven games.”
Momentum is in the Cubs' favor after rallying from a 3-1 series deficit, except that momentum is the next day's pitcher: Either Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs or Corey Kluber for the Indians.
Take your pick as these two teams prepare to roll a 7.
“It's going to test both teams,” Addison Russell said. “We're going to come here with confidence and energy ... it's Game 7.”
My goodness, is this ever juicy.
The Bulls won six titles during the 1990s and each of those NBA Finals was decided before a Game 7.
The Blackhawks won three championships since 2010 and none of their Stanley Cup Finals went to a Game 7.
Think how fortunate Cleveland sports fans are: Wednesday night comes mere months after the Cavaliers won the NBA title by beating the Warriors in a seventh game.
But you never hear that a surgeon performs every surgery like it's the seventh game of the NBA Finals.
No, you want that guy operating on you because he treats every surgery like it's the seventh game of the World Series.
Now, glory be, the Cubs and Indians have reached the ultimate must-win cage match in sports.
Yes, the seventh game of the World Series.
A Kinks lyric might come to mind in and around Chicago and Cleveland.
“Who'll be the next in line … Who'll be the next in line for heartache?”
And who'll be next in line for ecstasy, too, of course.
But the fear of heartache is felt more by Cubs and Indians fans than the hope of ecstasy is.
In case you forgot, the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and the Indians haven't won one since 1948.
For the math-challenged that's 108 years for the Cubs, 68 for the Indians and a mind-boggling 176 combined.
Those are the two longest championship droughts in the major leagues: Wednesday night one will end mercifully and the other will extend mercilessly.
Players kid themselves that history won't weigh on them in Game 7 of this World Series … but it will.
The Indians will be able to feel the anxiety flowing from the home crowd, just as the Cubs felt it from Sunday night's crowd during their Game 5 survival exercise in Wrigley Field.
Then the Cubs had to win again in Game 6 in Cleveland and will have to again Wednesday night … in Game 7!
“Anybody who plays this game grows up dreaming of winning the World Series,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said. “It's nice to build off these two (victories) and the momentum.”
By this time Wednesday night we'll know who was next in line for heartache and who was next in line for ecstasy.