On October 22, 2016, the Chicago Cubs completed a step that generations of their fans had never seen. A 5–0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series secured Chicago's first pennant since 1945. Wrigley Field finally had a World Series to prepare for.
Chicago removed much of the suspense early. The Cubs scored twice in the first inning against Clayton Kershaw and added to the lead as the game continued. Willson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo hit solo home runs, giving the home crowd concrete reasons to believe this clinching opportunity would end differently from earlier disappointments.
Kyle Hendricks supplied the pitching foundation. He worked 7⅓ scoreless innings and allowed two hits, keeping the Dodgers from turning the game into a contest of bullpen endurance. Aroldis Chapman handled the remaining outs. Double plays in the eighth and ninth helped finish a shutout rather than prolonging the wait.
The result closed the NLCS four games to two. It did not yet end the Cubs' World Series championship drought, which dated to 1908. That distinction is important: on this date Chicago won the National League and earned the opportunity to play for the larger prize against Cleveland.
The pennant had its own historical weight. Seventy-one years separated the Cubs' World Series appearances, and that absence had become part of the franchise's identity. This game replaced anticipation with a confirmed destination. Chicago would still face difficult nights in the next series, but the familiar possibility of another missed chance had disappeared. The final double play made the return real, right where Cubs fans had waited for it.