Baseball: Chicago's Wrigley Field given US landmark status

Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs for over a 100 years, became the second Major League Baseball ballpark to be granted National Historic Landmark status, the owners of the team announced on Thursday.

The Ricketts family bought the team in 2009 and have been asking the federal government to give the north side stadium landmark status since 2013.

"Wrigley Field is a special place in the hearts of generations of fans," Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts said. 

"That's why, from our first day as owners, we committed to preserving Wrigley, which will now take its well-earned place in the lineup of American history and culture as a national treasure."

Boston's Fenway Park is the only other MLB stadium with Historic Landmark status from the federal government's US Department of Interior.

The Ricketts have spent more than $1 billion upgrading the facility since 2014.

The Cubs have called Wrigley home since 1916, when it was still known as Weeghman Park. The name was changed to Wrigley Field in 1926. 

"The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation's story," a spokesman for the Department of Interior said. "A key part of what has become America's beloved pastime for over a century. 

"It is with great enthusiasm that I designate this iconic national treasure, the site of many legendary events, innovations and traditions in baseball history, as a National Historic Landmark." 

Over the last century, the ivy-covered Wrigley Field has hosted five World Series, the 1963 NFL Championship game, and the 2009 NHL outdoor game. Elton John, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen have performed concerts there.

Wrigley Field was already on the list of National Register of Historic Places, an honor it received in 1987.

Agence France-Presse

Cardinals blow lead, beat Cubs in 10 innings

Matt Carpenter hit a go-ahead homer in the top of the 10th inning, and the visiting St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night to open a crucial four-game series.

Harrison Bader drove in a pair of runs for St. Louis, which coughed up a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning before recovering for the victory. It marked the Cardinals' first win in seven contests at Wrigley Field this season.

The Cardinals (86-67) maintained a three-game lead in the National League Central over the Milwaukee Brewers (83-70), who won earlier in the day.

The Cubs (82-71) slipped four games back of St. Louis for first place and one game behind the Brewers for the NL's second wild-card berth with nine games left in the regular season.

Cardinals left-hander Andrew Miller (5-5) earned the win in relief after getting the last two outs in the ninth. He replaced Carlos Martinez, who gave up three runs and recorded only one out.

Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel (0-3) took the loss after surrendering Carpenter's home run with one out. It was Kimbrel's first action since Sept. 1, as he had been sidelined due to a sore right elbow.

Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos pitched a scoreless 10th for his first save.

St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty turned in another masterful performance, holding Chicago to one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out eight as his second-half ERA remained at 1.05 (10 earned runs in 85 1/3 innings).

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks gave up four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals settled for a 1-0 lead in the third inning after loading the bases with no outs. Dexter Fowler grounded into a 4-6-3 double play that allowed Tommy Edman to score from third base.

Anthony Rizzo homered in his surprise return from a sprained right ankle to even the score at 1 during the bottom of the third.

The Cardinals grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Edman ripped a leadoff triple into the corner in right field, and he scored moments later on Bader's single to center.

A two-run sixth increased the Cardinals' edge to 4-1. A fielding error by Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber allowed Paul Goldschmidt to score on a single by Yadier Molina. Two batters later, Bader doubled to drive in Paul DeJong.

Ben Zobrist, Willson Contreras and Jason Heyward notched one RBI apiece as the Cubs rallied in the ninth.

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong exited in the fifth inning because of a left hamstring injury.

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Three Hernandez homers lift Dodgers into World Series

CHICAGO - Enrique Hernandez smashed three home runs, including a grand slam, and the Los Angeles Dodgers advanced to their first World Series since 1988 by defeating the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Thursday.

Dodgers 26-year-old left-fielder Hernandez, who has helped hurricane relief efforts in his native Puerto Rico, smacked a solo blast in the second inning, a four-run round-tripper in the third and a two-run shot in the ninth to provide all the scoring Los Angeles would need.

The Dodgers dethroned Major League Baseball's defending champions by capturing the best-of-seven National League Championship Series 4-1 and will play for their first World Series crown in 29 years starting Tuesday in Los Angeles.

"It feels good to hear World Series," said Dodgers winning pitcher Clayton Kershaw. "It has been a long time coming for this team. I never thought I would play in a World Series. It's tough to sink in right now."

They will face the American League winner, either the New York Yankees or Houston Astros, in the best-of-seven final. The Yankees lead that series 3-2 entering game six Friday in Houston. No home team has yet lost.

Hernandez set a one-game league championship series record by driving in seven runs and matched another with three homers.

"Kike' (Hernandez), he told me he had my back today," Kershaw said. "He came through. It's a different guy every night. I'm having a lot of fun with them. It's unbelievable. It's a very special team to be a part of."

The Cubs had won five consecutive playoff games when facing elimination, three in last year's World Series and two in this year's playoffs, but again struggled to solve Dodgers pitching, having managed only one playoff hit with runners in scoring position.

Dodgers relief pitchers will enter the World Series having hurled 23 consecutive scoreless playoff innings.

Dodgers ace left-hander Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner as best pitcher, allowed only one run on three hits with five strikeouts over six innings for his sixth playoff win, tying a Dodgers' career record, while Cubs lefty Jose Quintana struggled before exiting in the third inning.

Los Angeles opened the scoring in the first inning when Chris Taylor walked and scored on Cody Bellinger's double to right field.

Hernandez swatted his first homer of the playoffs on the opening pitch of the second inning to give the Dodgers a 2-0 edge.

Taylor opened the crucial third inning with a ground rule double, bouncing a ball into the stands down the left-field line, and scored on Justin Turner's single to right field, boosting the Dodgers' lead to 3-0.

Bellinger and Yasiel Puig followed with singles to load the bases, prompting the Cubs to replace Quintana with right-handed reliever Hector Rondon.

- Hernandez hammers the Cubs -
Hernandez returned to the plate with one out and hammered the first Dodgers' playoff grand slam since 2008 over the Wrigley Field center-field wall, lifting the Dodgers ahead 7-0 and stunning Chicago supporters into silence.

The Cubs had only managed seven runs in the entire series to that point. The Dodgers struck for five runs on six hits in the inning.

Los Angeles added two more runs in the fourth inning as Taylor and Bellinger each singled and advanced on a wild pitch by reliever John Lackey. Taylor was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Puig but Logan Forsythe followed with a two-run double to left field, the onslaught reaching 9-0.

Chicago's Kris Bryant smacked a solo homer in the fourth to finally put the Cubs on the scoreboard.

But Hernandez smacked his third homer in the ninth, a fitting exclamation point on the Dodgers' rout.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Baseball: Baez homers twice, Cubs edge Dodgers to avoid sweep

CHICAGO -- Javier Baez blasted two home runs and the defending champion Chicago Cubs avoid being swept out of the Major League Baseball playoffs Wednesday by edging the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2.

The Dodgers still lead the best-of-seven National League Championship Series, 3-1, and could advance to their first World Series since 1988 with a victory in Thursday's Game 5.

"We've been struggling as a team in the playoffs but we've finally gotten on track and hopefully we keep going," Baez said.

The Cubs-Dodgers winner will play either the New York Yankees or Houston Astros in the World Series starting Tuesday. The Yankees lead that series, 3-2, entering Game 6 Friday at Houston.

Baez blasted his first hits of the playoffs into the outfield bleachers at Wrigley Field to snap out of his slump in impressive fashion.

"I've just been struggling a lot this series and the series before. I've been trying so hard," Baez said. "I just said, 'Today don't try to go so hard,' and that's what happened."

Baez and Willson Contreras blasted solo homers in the second inning to put the Cubs ahead 2-0, but Cody Bellinger answered in the third for the Dodgers with a solo homer of his own to halve Chicago's lead.

Baez responded with another solo homer in the fifth inning, boosting the Cubs ahead 3-1. The Dodgers had not trailed so late in a game in the playoffs.

Chicago brought on relief ace Wade Davis in the eighth inning but the first batter he faced, Dodgers slugger Justin Turner, blasted a solo homer to pull Los Angeles within 3-2.

Yasiel Puig walked and an emotional moment followed when Dodgers batter Curtis Granderson argued a third-strike, claiming he tipped the ball, and had an umpire's call overturned.

That sent heated Cubs manager Joe Maddon out of the dugout to complain and he was ejected, begging for consideration of a video replay that is not approved for such situations.

Davis struck out Granderson cleanly for the second out of the eighth but Yasmani Grandal walked to send potential tying run Puig to second base.

Chase Utley, hitless in his previous 23 times at bat in the playoffs, came to the plate for the Dodgers and struck out to end the threat.

In the ninth, Davis issued a one-out walk of Chris Taylor to put the potential tying run on base again but Bellinger grounded into a game-ending double play.

"We're in a position to win or go home so we brought in the closer to make sure everything is good," Baez said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Cubs seeking answers after erratic start to season

LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Cubs' curse-busting World Series win is a distant memory as the Major League Baseball champions limp into the All-Star break.

The Cubs won their first title since 1908 -- ending the longest sports title drought in American History -- with their win over the Cleveland Indians in last year's Fall Classic.

But predictions that their core of 20-something stars were just getting started have been sorely tested in the first half of the 2017 season.

The Cubs went into the 2016 All-Star break at 53-35 on their way to a 100-win season that never saw them drop below .500.

So far this year they've flailed around the .500 mark, and trail the surprising Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central race by 5.5 games.

"This year's just been kind of weird for all of us," National League Most Valuable Player Kris Bryant acknowledged. The Cubs are 43-45 as Major League Baseball takes it's mid-season break for Tuesday's All-Star Game in Miami.

After Bryant lost out to the Dodgers' Justin Turner in final voting, the Cubs are the first World Series winners not to send a returning player to the All-Star Game.

Maybe Bryant could benefit from the time off.

Last year the Cubs third baseman had 25 home runs, 65 RBI and a .962 on base plus slugging by the break.

This season he's at 18, 38 and .928 -- although Bryant insists he doesn't feel fatigued and the ankle he sprained in June is fine.

Bryant showed a flash of brilliance on Friday, going 4-for-5 with two homers a triple and a single in the Cubs' 6-1 win over Pittsburgh.

But the Pirates won the next two games of the weekend series, pummelling the Cubs 14-3 on Sunday to conclude the first half of the season.

Bryant says the Cubs remain confident they can turn things around in the second half of the season -- thanks in large part to their rally from 1-3 down in the World Series.

"We can do it," he said. "That's what makes us so confident."

And manager Joe Maddon said he still sees "a chance for us to do something really spectacular" in the second half.

"I'm very pleased with where we're at right now," Maddon said at the weekend. "We have gone through a lot of different moments already this season regarding injuries, etc., and we've held our heads up pretty good."

The Cubs offense stands to benefit from the returns of Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward from the disabled list.

And the team is hoping slugger Kyle Schwarber's spell in the minor leagues was enough to sort out his hitting slump.

But they also need to perk up their pitching.

Ace Jon Lester endured the shortest outing of his career on Sunday when he gave up four earned runs and six hits before departing in the first inning against the Pirates on Sunday.

   
 'Roller-coaster'

Hurler Jake Arrieta, who had 121 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.68 in the first half last season, has 201 this year and an ERA of 4.35.

"It's been slightly different honestly, just because we've been up and down so frequently," Arrieta said.

"As soon as we get on a roll, we kind of hit a skid. It's just been this back and forth, sort of, roller-coaster that we've been dealing with."

The Cubs certainly aren't the first World Series winners to experience a title hangover -- as much as they dislike that characterization.

The last team to repeat as World Series champions was the New York Yankees, who did it in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Toronto Blue Jays did it in 1992 and 1993, but before that it was the Yankees in 1977-78.

Maddon said it wasn't time to hit the panic button.

"I'm still very confident. I believe in our guys," Maddon said. "I'm eager to see us coming out of the break."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Indians rip Cubs to reach brink of World Series title

CHICAGO -- Cleveland's Corey Kluber pitched superbly on short rest while Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana smashed home runs as the Indians moved within one victory of their first World Series title since 1948 by routing the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Saturday.

The Indians took a 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final and can end their title drought -- while extending Chicago's epic 107-year futility streak -- by winning game five Sunday at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs, in their first World Series since 1945, are trying to end the longest title drought in American sports history by capturing their first World Series since 1908. The Indians' 67-year title drought is the second longest in the major leagues.

Teams with a 3-1 Series edge have won the crown 10 consecutive times, last failing in 1985 when Kansas City won the final three games to defeat St. Louis.

Kipnis, a Chicago native who grew up cheering on the Cubs, blasted a three-run homer in the seventh inning that added to the misery of long-suffering Cubs fans while Santana belted a solo homer in the second inning.

Indians starting pitcher Kluber allowed only one run on five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. The 30-year-old right-hander became the first pitcher since Cincinnati's Jose Rijo in 1990 to win games one and four of the World Series.

Kluber struck out nine and scattered four hits over six scoreless innings in Tuesday's opener as Cleveland blanked the Cubs 6-0. He's now 5-1 in the playoffs with a 0.74 earned-run average.

Chicago's 38-year-old right-handed pitcher John Lackey, a two-time World Series champion, surrendered three runs on four hits over five innings in his 23rd career playoff start, the most of any active pitcher.

Chicago batters tagged Kluber early as Dexter Fowler opened the game with a double to left field and scored on Anthony Rizzo's single to centerfield.

But Santana answered with a solo homer to lead off the second inning and two errors by Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant led to a 2-1 Cleveland lead.

Bryant's throwing error allowed Lonnie Chisenhall to reach first base and after he advanced on Roberto Perez's ground out and Tyler Naquin was intentionally walked, Kluber tapped an infield single down the third base line to set up another errant throw by Bryant, allowing Chisenhall to score the go-ahead run.

The Indians stretched their edge to 3-1 in the third when Kipnis doubled to the rightfield wall and Francisco Lindor singled to bring him home. It was Lindor's sixth hit of the Series making him, at 22, the youngest player since 1997 with so many.

Lindor walked to open the sixth and advanced on a hard-hit Santana single that knocked the glove off Cubs relief pitcher Mike Montgomery. Lindor took third base on a fielder's choice by Jose Ramirez and scored on a sacrifice fly out by Chisenhall to put Cleveland ahead 4-1.

- Kipnis follows Babe Ruth -

Indians pinch-hitter Coco Crisp batted for Kluber in the seventh inning and doubled to rightfield, then took third base on a wild pitch by Cubs reliever Justin Grimm, who then hit Rajai Davis to put runners at the corners.

That prompted Chicago to insert pitcher Travis Wood and he surrendered the homer to Kipnis that all-but sealed the Cubs' fate.

It was the first three-run World Series homer by an opposing player at Wrigley Field since Babe Ruth's famous "called shot" in 1932, when the New York Yankees legend pointed to the outfield bleachers and smashed the next pitch into the stands.

Fowler added a homer for Chicago in the eighth, the first World Series homer by an African-American player in Cubs history. Major League Baseball's first black player, Jackie Robinson, did not break the sport's racial barrier until 1947, two years after the Cubs last played in the World Series.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Fate of 'cursed' Cubs fueling World Series fever

CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs fans hoping to see their team end a World Series title drought stretching back more than a century are paying a hefty price for the opportunity.

After splitting the first two games of Major League Baseball's Fall Classic with the Indians in Cleveland, the Cubs head home for Games 3, 4 and 5 and ticket prices at venerable Wrigley Field have skyrocketed.

Prices posted on ticket reselling site StubHub for game three -- the first World Series game at Wrigley Field in 71 years -- showed a pair of standing room only tickets being offered at $2,250 apiece, while a pair of tickets to box seats near a dugout were offered at $30,000 each on Thursday afternoon.

ESPN, citing "insiders" with access to StubHub buyer and seller data, said the median price of a ticket sold via the site for game three was $3,000. The median price reflects the middle number in the series of ticket prices arranged in order of value.

The median price of tickets sold for games one and two of the series in Cleveland was $1,000.

If a spot in the stadium is out of reach, fans keen to soak up the atmosphere can purchase tickets to view the game from a "Wrigley rooftop" -- on buildings that overlook the ballpark and cater to fans. Even those cost nearly $1,000.

Prices exploded as soon as the Cubs booked their World Series berth with a National League Championship Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tickets for Friday's game three were promptly listed on event ticket search engine TicketIQ for an average of $6,155.

"I was not expecting an average asking price in the $6,000 range. It was a surprise even for a person who tracks the market all the time," Jesse Lawrence, founder and chief executive of TicketIQ, said. "From a historical standpoint, it's totally mind-boggling."

The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908 and haven't played in the championship since 1945.

Some fans consider the team cursed given the near-misses and sometimes woeful seasons that have come over the past 71 years.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com