Watch CBS News

Emma: Playoff Baseball At Wrigley Field Is 'Unbeatable'

By Chris Emma--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Wrigley Field waited desperately for Hector Rondon's pitch. There was one out to go. Anticipation built.

Matt Holliday hit a bouncing ball to Starlin Castro, who routinely scooped and delivered to Anthony Rizzo's glove. Arms of the more 42,411 fans went to the air, and a roar went through the old ballpark. This wasn't just the usual kind of sports-fan roar, either. These roars sounded like a jet takeoff.

The Cubs had won it, 8-6 over the Cardinals, and taken a 2-1 series lead in the NLDS. A father held his arms high, still balancing a child on his shoulders. An elderly man just gazed on and smiled. Two guys just hugged and jumped up and down. And darn near the entire crowd held up white "W" flags, creating a cool scene at Wrigley.

Welcome to playoff baseball at The Friendly Confines, a baseball cathedral starving for a Cubs team like this.

"The vibe in the ballpark is unbeatable -- anywhere, anywhere," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

President of baseball operations Theo Epstein came to Chicago four years ago this month with a plan. The Cubs kept losing but building for better -- for a day like Monday, when Clark and Addison felt like center of the baseball universe.

Thirty minutes before first pitch, Cubs ace Jake Arrieta stretched and jogged in left field. Fans offered a standing ovation. Not breaking focus, Arrieta dropped to the ground for 20 pushups. Those on their feet began to wildly cheer.

Game 3 had just about everything, from Ryne Sandberg's first pitch in an Ernie Banks jersey to Rondon's delivery for the final out. But among the long night of Cub gratification were the six home runs hit, marking a franchise postseason record.

Oh, and five of those were hit by players 26 years of age or younger. Three were hit by rookies -- Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber -- with Addison Russell barely outdone when he legged out a triple.

How's that championship window looking?

"Today was unbelievable," Bryant said.

Monday felt like a day-long parade for the Cubs, putting the years of building -- and decades of futility -- in the past. The entire 2015 season was an incredible success, regardless of whether the Cubs reached the playoffs. The 97 wins were simply a bonus to the player development of the club's promising core rapidly accelerating, but to have Wrigley host a playoff game made it all feel so special.

Before first pitch, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts strolled through the upper deck, with a standing ovation following his every step. For this moment, a slow-moving wave was acceptable, because Ricketts earned it. He stopped to shake hands and smile for selfies. His Epstein-driven dream for the Cubs had come to reality.

What made it even sweeter is that the Cubs are going to be good for a long, long time, because their foundation is set with these young talents. This isn't a flash-in-the-pan story -- the Cubs could be in the NLDS year for many years to come. Five homers from five 26-and-under players put that in perspective.

Arrieta's solid-but-un-Arrieta-like performance seemed to be overshadowed by the display of power in what David Ross termed "Homerville," because looking human doesn't mean much when teammates are setting major-league records.

"You can't be perfect every night, man," Maddon said of Arrieta, who allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Wrigley Field was something close to perfect on Monday, picturesque at the very least. Twilight lit the sky as Sandberg threw out that first pitch, and a cool breeze transformed into a gusting wind that carried the Cubs to a home run record.

With each blast, that roar reached new levels. Fans rose to their feet on so many occasions. Everything just seemed right for the Cubs on an unforgettable night on the North Side.

Many more nights like this are sure to come, because playoff baseball is back at Wrigley and these Cubs are sure something special.

Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.