It's official: The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians will meet in the 2016 World Series. Game 1 is Tuesday night. One of those clubs is going to snap a long title drought this year. The Cubs haven't won since 1908 and the Indians haven't won since 1948.
The Cubs had baseball's best record this season at 103-58, but when the World Series opens on Tuesday, they'll be at Progressive Field in Cleveland. That's because the American League beat the National League in the All-Star Game for the fourth straight season. The winner of the All-Star Game gets home-field advantage in the World Series. Them's the rules.
The AL beat the NL 4-2 in this year's All-Star Game in San Diego. A pair of Royals had the big blows. Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez both took Giants righty Johnny Cueto deep in the second inning. Hosmer hit a solo shot and Perez hit a two-run shot. To the action footage:
That home run helped Hosmer claim All-Star Game MVP honors.
The two home runs gave the AL a 3-1 lead and that was all the runs they would need to win the All-Star Game. Now the Indians will have home-field advantage in the World Series because of that. What a system.
Here's how the Cubs and Indians players performed in this year's All-Star Game:
Cubs
Ben Zobrist: 0 for 2
Kris Bryant: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K (homered vs. Chris Sale)
Anthony Rizzo: 1 for 2
Addison Russell: 0 for 2
Jon Lester: 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
Indians
Francisco Lindor: 0 for 2
Corey Kluber: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (got the win)
At least Kluber got the win in the All-Star Game. That kinda sorta validates the silliness of this system.
