Cubs win NL pennant for 1st time since 1945

After seven decades of waiting and heartbreak, the curse of the billy goat is dead.

The Chicago Cubs are champions of the National League for the first time since 1945 and the 17th time in their history, after a 5-0 thrashing of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field Saturday night.

Kyle Hendricks tossed 7 1/3 shutout innings, facing only the minimum and allowing one hit, before Aroldis Chapman entered for the final 1 2/3 to nail down the pennant. Although he walked a batter in the ninth, pinch-hitter Yasiel Puig grounded into the series-ending double play, which began a party decades in the making.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw struggled, allowing two runs in the first inning - one of them unearned, courtesy of an Andrew Toles error - and allowed all five runs over five innings. Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras homered for Chicago.

Once the celebration is complete, the Cubs will travel to Cleveland where they'll face the Indians in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night.