LONDON – A familiar song blared from the loudspeakers at London Stadium as a stream of fireworks shot into the sky and exploded over the venue’s upper ring. The Cubs fans in attendance were a far cry from the friendly confines, but they joined in a celebratory performance of “Go Cubs, Go.”
“That sounded good,” said Cubs manager David Ross. “It was pretty loud.”
While the Cardinals were technically the home team in the opening game of this latest installment of the London Series, the Cubs and their fans settled into West Ham’s home to edge out their rivals 9-1. All the travel, jetlag, pageantry and circumstances surrounding the event couldn’t dampen the momentum the North Siders had been gaining over the past few weeks.
Both locals and travelers came for a show and the Cubs didn’t disappoint.
“That was something I’ll never forget — really special,” Steele said. “It felt like everyone was on the hill with me. Really exciting – lots of energy.”
After the win, Ross repeated his usual response of focusing on the field, the inning and the game in front of his club, rather than downsizing. However, there’s no denying how important it is for the Cubs to break even again, and now Chicago (37-38) is a game behind that shoulder-relaxing number.
The Cubs were 10 games under .500 on June 8 after the Angels defeated them. Chicago has since had streaks of wins against the Giants, Pirates and Orioles. That included two wins over three games against Pittsburgh, which knocked them out of first place in the National League Central. The Cubs are the three behind the division-leading Reds.
With the London Series looming, the final win in Pittsburgh before flying across the pond was a welcome one.
“I was definitely more excited for Wednesday’s game than most,” said Jed Hoyer, president of the Cubs Baseball Division. “I was like, ‘Okay, let’s win, let’s get a win, let’s get on the plane and enjoy it.’ And there’s no doubt, I think the way we played won 10 out of 12 [going into London]it’s definitely nice to start with a few days off.
“It lightens the mood a bit. And listen, you hope the schedule doesn’t push us out of this phase. I think we played great.”
The potential distractions piled up, but the Cubs kept their focus.
Christopher Morel joined some social media influencers for some pre-game videos on Wednesday and then celebrated his 24th birthday with three hits. Happ chatted with two Formula One drivers during Friday practice, then put the Cubs on pole ahead of Adam Wainwright with a leadoff shot in the second inning.
The team had a private event at Westminster Abbey on Thursday evening. Happ and Morel took a double-decker bus tour of the city. Players went on sightseeing tours – many also had their families with them on the rare trip. The media rush and inquiries resembled a post-season atmosphere.
The Cubs then went 7-0 in the fourth inning, and Dansby Swanson equalized with a two-run home run in the ninth inning.
“It’s part of coming here and doing it,” said Happ, who scored another goal in the third round. “You still have to play baseball. You still have to go out and do your job. And I think it was a complete game. Steeley did a great job. The defense behind him was really good. And then the bats were in action today.”
Steele said he went through a normal routine on Saturday afternoon, trying to keep things as close to his usual starting day as possible. When the left-hander took to the mound in front of an announced crowd of 54,662 – including celebrities like Bill Murray and Nick Offerman – it felt different.
“Once I was definitely out there,” Steele said, “I felt the energy in the stadium. If anything, it just grabbed me a little bit more.”
This energy lasted until the last pitch and culminated in the well-known sing-along after the win.
“Hopefully we’ll hear it again tomorrow,” Ross said.