The Cleveland Indians are on the brink of glory, but the Chicago Cubs will try to force a winner-take-all World Series showdown that would decide which hoodoo would finally end.
The Indians currently lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven final and are trying to end their own epic championship futility run, last lifting the trophy in 1948.
On the brink of extending America's longest sports title drought, the Cubs need a victory at Cleveland to force a decider for the 112th World Series crown on Wednesday.
No major Cleveland sports team had won a crown since the 1964 NFL Browns until LeBron James led the Cavaliers over Golden State in the NBA Finals. Now the city could have another one just over four months later.
"We're here for a reason, and we understand that," said Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin. "We're good. We don't have to do anything more than what we've been doing and it should be good enough."
The Cubs are trying to become the first team to overcome a 3-1 Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals and the first to do it by winning Games six and seven on the road since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
"Even getting to [this] juncture definitely is going to stand out for many years," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Now it's up to us to take it to that seventh game. Then you're really going to have a classic that everybody will remember."
"I've never wanted to play game seven of a World Series as much as I want to right now."