When Cleveland Indians outfielder Rajai Davis hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie Game 7 of the World Series at 6-6, Red Brick Tavern erupted with shouts of joy.
And when Davis hit a ball into center field to drive in a run during the bottom of the 10th to trim the Cubs lead to 8-7, Indians fans in the tavern were hopeful once more.
But when the Cubs secured their final out, Red Brick fell silent.
The Cubs won the World Series, defeating the Indians 8-7 on Thursday to clinch their first title since 1908.
Most fans walking on Court Street after the game were Indians fans — Red Brick was filled with them — but Cubs fans still had a presence uptown.
Bianca Ferreira, a junior studying applied nutrition, has been a Cubs fan her entire life, as her father is from Chicago.
Relieved is an apt word for how anyone watching this game could have felt. Along with the Cubs 108-year title drought, the Indians hadn’t won a World Series since 1948.
The Cubs started the game well, with center fielder Dexter Fowler hitting a home run to score the team’s first runs. Fowler’s home run was the first leadoff home run during a Game 7 in World Series history.
The Indians didn’t seem like they had anything left as the game wore on. Cleveland fans all over Court Street grew silent.
But with Davis almost single-handedly bringing the Indians to a win, Indians fans had reason to hope.
Hope is perhaps the best quality a Cleveland sports fan can have, especially when a title is on the line.
Sebastian Weaver, a freshman studying pre-medicine/chemistry, had hope when Davis made plays to keep the Indians in the game.
“I’m hurt,” Weaver said. “I’m hurting.”
Though some Indians fans were upset, hope wore on for Tim Slocombe. Slocombe, a sophomore studying management and information systems, said the Indians have a good chance of making it back to the World Series next year.
“I don’t see any competition in the AL Central,” Slocombe said.
