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Cubs force World Series Game 7 against Indians

CLEVELAND — The grandest words in sports: Game 7 of the World Series.

The Chicago Cubs forced the Fall Classic to its limit Tuesday night, and they did so in the grandest of fashions.

Addison Russell's grand slam in the third inning off reliever Dan Otero broke open a 3-0 game and helped lift the Cubs to a convincing 9-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 6 at Progressive Field.

The Cubs have rallied from being down three games to one in the Series and will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound Wednesday night against Indians ace Corey Kluber, who again will be pitching on three days' rest.

On the brink of elimination just Saturday, the Cubs now are a victory away from their first World Series title since 1908.

“Anybody who plays this game grows up dreaming of winning a World Series,” said third baseman Kris Bryant, whose two-out solo homer in the first inning got things going as the Cubs wound up scoring 3 runs. “We get to play in a Game 7 tomorrow. That's pretty special.”

The first inning began innocently enough for Indians starting pitcher Josh Tomlin. He opened the game by getting Dexter Fowler on a lineout before retiring Kyle Schwarber on a groundout to deep second base, as the Indians had the shift on.

By then, the Indians fans in the crowd of 38,116 were in full throat. Seconds later, it was the large number of Cubs fans making all the noise as Bryant lofted a hanging curveball over the wall in left.

That was only the beginning. Anthony Rizzo singled, as did Ben Zobrist, moving Rizzo to third. Russell then lifted a fly to right-center, but center fielder Tyler Naquin and right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall got mixed up and allowed the ball to drop for a double, scoring both runners.

Russell's grand slam in the third gave him 6 RBI for the game, equaling the World Series single-game record.

Despite some ups and downs at the plate, Russell has had some big hits, both in the National League championship series and the World Series.

“Honestly, it's been throughout the whole year,” he said. “Being part of the Cubs, you're being put in the limelight. And early on you're forced to deliver when the game is on the line. So having practice throughout the whole season, and then finally here comes the big moment in the postseason, in the World Series.”

The Cubs sent Jake Arrieta to the mound, and he went 5⅔ innings, giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. He walked three, struck out nine and threw 102 pitches.

“Jake was really good,” manager Joe Maddon said. “On his regular rest, he was outstanding.”

When Arrieta walked Chisenhall with two outs in the sixth, Maddon turned to left-hander Mike Montgomery. Montgomery got help in a nice stop by Russell at shortstop to start an inning-ending forceout at second.

It was another early entry into a game by closer Aroldis Chapman, who worked 2⅔ innings to close out Game 5. On Tuesday, Maddon brought him in with two outs and two on in the seventh.

Chapman retired Francisco Lindor on a 3-1 groundout. Lindor originally was called safe, but a replay review overturned the call. Chapman had to scurry to cover first base, and he appeared to turn his ankle stepping on the bag.

While the replay review was under way, the Cubs' athletic trainer visited Chapman, who walked off the field in little apparent difficulty.

Rizzo added insurance with a 2-run homer in the ninth. Pedro Strop replaced Chapman after Brandon Guyer's leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth.

“Seventh inning, the middle of the order was coming up,” Maddon said of bringing Chapman in. “So I thought the game could have been lost right there if we did not take care of it properly.

“Also, there was the threat that we would score more runs, which we did and just did not have enough time to get (Pedro Strop) warmed up after the 2-run home run by Rizzo.”

With all that has happened in this Series, Maddon said it's only fitting it's going to Game 7.

“It's been a very well-contested series,” he said. “Both sides have played really good baseball. Again, of course, we want to be the group that breaks the string, but you're probably right, it's just correct and apt that we'd go seven games.”

• Follow Bruce's Cubs and baseball reports on Twitter @BruceMiles2112.

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