CHICAGO (AP) - Wrigley Field was just 29 years old the last time the Chicago Cubs had previously won a National League pennant, and the ballpark didn't exist when the Cubbies last captured a World Series title. Wrigley and its neighboring taverns were rocking on Saturday night after the Cubs claimed their first pennant since 1945.
Kyle Hendricks pitched into the eighth inning and the Cubs belted a pair of solo homers in a 5-0, series-clinching victory over the Dodgers. Hendricks was staked to an early 3-0 lead in Game 6 and never relented as he limited Los Angeles to a pair of hits over 7 1/3 innings. He allowed just one run over two starts in the series.
Dexter Fowler sparked a pair of early rallies. He led off the bottom of the first with a double and scored on Kris Bryant's single, one inning before Fowler laced an RBI single.
Wilsson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo added home runs to pad the Cubs' lead. Ben Zobrist delivered a sacrifice fly that capped Chicago's two-run first.
Aroldis Chapman entered after Hendricks gave up a one-out single in the eighth. Chapman promptly got a double-play grounder to end the threat, then worked the ninth to ignite the Cubs' first pennant celebration since the Truman administration.
Clayton Kershaw was hit hard over five innings, charged with four earned runs and seven hits. Kershaw tossed seven shutout innings to lead the Dodgers to a Game 2 win over Hendricks and the Cubs.
The Dodgers did nothing on offense, collecting just two hits and one walk. They also hit into three double plays and were picked off once as Hendricks and Chapman faced the minimum amount of hitters.
Next up for the Cubs are the Cleveland Indians as the two clubs try to shake very lengthy World Series droughts. The Indians haven't won the Fall Classic since 1948, 40 years after the Cubs' last title.
Game 1 of the World Series is slated for Tuesday in Cleveland.
