Where Does Cubs-Indians Rank Among All-Time Best World Series Game 7s?

The Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians played a Game 7 for the ages Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

The Indians, who trailed by as many as four runs, showed a ton of fight, tying the game 6-6 in the eighth inning on Rajai Davis’ two-run home run off Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman. But the Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning en route to an 8-7 win and their first World Series title since 1908.

Ben Zobrist broke the 6-6 tie in the 10th with an RBI double into left field. Miguel Montero then singled home an insurance run, which proved huge, as Davis’ RBI single in the bottom of the 10th cut Chicago’s lead in half and made things interesting until Mike Montgomery recorded the final out.

The game had it all. And in many ways, it was a microcosm of the series.

Both managers — Terry Francona of the Indians and Joe Maddon of the Cubs — turned to their bullpens early, though some wondered whether Maddon’s decision to bring in Jon Lester in the fifth inning would backfire, especially with Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks pitching so well and Chapman having worked so much over the previous two games.

And both teams showed incredible resiliency: The Indians to battle back after falling behind 5-1 and 6-3, and the Cubs to settle down coming out of a brief extra-inning rain delay shortly after letting their lead and momentum slip away.

In the end, it was the Cubs who emerged victorious in an instant classic that snapped a 108-year World Series drought. The Indians, who once held a 3-1 series lead, remain in search of their first title since 1948.

The entire series was excellent. Wednesday night’s winner-take-all showdown — it actually trickled into Thursday morning — will go down as one of the greatest games in Major League Baseball history. But where exactly does this Game 7 rank on the list of other memorable World Series Game 7s?

There have been 38 Game 7s in World Series history (check them out here), including three in the last six years. Let’s look back at the best and determine where this one belongs in the grand scheme of things.

Click for the six best World Series Game 7s in MLB history >>

Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
Photo above via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images