CHICAGO -- Grown men didnt weep.Maybe because anyone old enough to actually remember the last time the Chicago Cubs made it to the World Series would be at least 71 and know enough to stay home instead of parking himself in the middle of the pandemonium that engulfed Wrigley Field late Saturday.Not so 78-year-old Billy Williams, a Hall of Famer and Cubs mainstay through the 1960s and `70s. This was a moment he had to see for himself.I think about the guys I played with who never got to see this, Williams began. Especially Ernie Banks and (Ron) Santo. Man, we tried so hard for so many years and now theyre gone. ... And I cant tell you how long these fans stuck with us or how many times I heard stuff like, `This is the year.But this, he said with a sweep of his arm toward the still-rocking grandstand, is finally the year.After believing their team was cursed by a goat, crossed by a black cat and undone by one of their own, after checking their sanity at the turnstiles for seven decades and counting, fans of the team on the North Side of town no longer needed any excuses . None needed reminding, either, that there was one hill still left to climb, starting Tuesday night in Cleveland.But at the moment, a white flag with a single blue W fluttered in the night sky atop the huge, manually operated scoreboard in center field -- a tradition begun in the 1930s so that riders on the nearby elevated train line would know when the Cubs won -- and their fans basked in its possibilities.They win 100-plus games (in the regular season), they really have no weaknesses, theyve got youth, veteran starting pitching ... they catch the baseball, they can slug, they get on base, and theyre relentless, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterward, by way of a scouting report.Thats a very good club over there.You couldnt have said that just seven years ago, when owner Tom Ricketts forked over $875 million of the familys fortune to buy the ballclub and that faith was tested mightily. Normally a level-headed sort, he fell in love with the Cubs soon after moving to the city as an 18-year-old to attend the University of Chicago. The Cubs went 83-78 in Ricketts first year, then posted five losing seasons in a row.In 2011, he shelled out good money to hire onetime Red Sox boy wonder Theo Epstein to rebuild the roster as president of baseball operations; the next year, the Cubs lost 101 games. But with Epstein pulling the strings, they also began collecting youngsters like Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant, occasionally mixing in high-priced veteran pitchers like Jon Lester and John Lackey and turning around Jake Arrietas career.In 2015, Ricketts shelled out good money again to hire manager Joe Maddon; last season, they were swept by the Mets in the NLCS. The cornerstone of Maddons baseball philosophy is focus on the short term; try to win each at-bat, each inning, each game. He pulls stunts to make it fun -- bringing in zoo animals, wearing pajamas on the flight home from road trips and breaking up the monotony of a long season.But even he struggled on this night not to look back.You stand out on that platform afterwards and youre looking at the ballpark and the fans and the W flags everywhere, and truthfully you think about everybody, Maddon said. I think about the fans and their parents and their grandparents and great-grandparents and everything thats been going on here for a while. I think about my wife, Jaye, my kids, my mom back in Pennsylvania, my dad who wasnt here.Its overwhelming, he added finally, and its awesome.The Cubs last won it all in 1908, which means theyve been without a championship 40 years longer than the Indians, holders of the second-longest run without a championship in major North American pro sports. They may be the sentimental favorites, but theyre also savvy, ruthless and blessed with short memories -- basically, anything but your fathers Cubbies.Ditto for the owner. Asked what it would feel like to see that same flag fly at the end of the World Series, Ricketts admitted he already had his eye on a souvenir. It was likely to be more painful than expensive.I may make the `W a tattoo, he said.He wont be alone.---Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and https://Twitter.com/JimLitke . Jaguars Jerseys China . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Taven Bryan Jersey . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. 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I feel comfortable pitching in front of our crowd.Last year, the 27-year-old Porcello was expected to be an ace for the staff after the club acquired him from Detroit before the season, but he lost six of his first 11 starts at home and ended the year just 9-15 overall with a 4.92 ERA.Rick is in a very good place here in Fenway, Red Sox manager John Farrell said. You talk about dependable and reliable, he embodies that. He epitomizes that.Porcello (13-2) allowed five runs with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings, becoming the first since Don Schwall in 1961 to win his first 10 Fenway decisions in a season.Dustin Pedroia hit a tiebreaking solo homer and Xander Bogaerts had three singles for Boston, which won its 10th time in 13 games.Juan Centeno had three hits and drove in three runs for the Twins, who completed a seven-game road trip 4-3 but gave up four unearned runs in a key inning.Youve got a chance to come in here and potentially beat a team thats been playing good -- three out of four, Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. Unearned runs, theyre painful, theyre tough when you cant find a way to get off the field.Brad Ziegler got the final three outs for his first save with Boston after being acquired from Arizona earlier this month.The Red Sox surged ahead with five runs -- four unearned -- and chased Tommy Milone (3-3) in the fifth.Pedroia homered over the Green Monster. Third baseman Miguel Sano had a grounder go through his legs for an error that scored a run before Shaw belted his homer into Bostons bullpen, making it 8-3.The one to Shaw was just a curveball that hung over the middle of the plate, Milone said. He was waiting for it. They capitalized hard on the mistakes.Milone gave up eight runs -- four earnedd -- in 4 2/3 innings, snapping a personal three-game winning streak.ddddddddddddhe Twins scored two runs in the seventh and eighth innings, slicing it to 8-7.Ramirezs homer -- his fifth in five games -- went into the first row of Monster seats, with a fan making a nice standing, two-handed grab, to make it 3-2.The Twins tied it when Max Kepler tripled leading off the fourth before scoring on Kennys Vargas grounder.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: C Kurt Suzuki was out with stitches in his chin after getting hit in the face mask Saturday. Were trying to look at ways that we can potentially protect him if we needed to play him in an emergency, Molitor said.Red Sox: DH David Ortiz was rested. . Farrell said CF Mookie Betts right knee was improved and we hope that by (Monday) night hes back in the lineup. Betts left Fridays game with soreness in the knee.BULLPEN HELPThe Red Sox recalled RHP Joe Kelly from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game after sending RHP Heath Hembree there following Saturdays loss.Kelly has only started since being acquired in 2014, but has pitched 52 2/3 career innings of relief with a 3.25 ERA.KEY OUTJunichi Tazawa entered with bases-loaded and no outs in the eighth. He allowed two inherited runners to score, but struck out Byron Buxton on a splitter in the dirt to end the inning.NEW JEWELRYOrtiz wore a Boston Marathon medal in the dugout thats given to runners that finish.A friend of mine that ran the Marathon gave it to me, he said, pointing to it hanging in his locker. I wear my jewelry on different days. I just put it on.UP NEXT:Twins: Theyre off Monday before beginning a six-game homestand Tuesday. RHP Ervin Santana (3-8, 3.93) faces Atlanta RHP Lucas Harrell (1-2, 4.24) in the first of a two-game series.Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz makes his second start for Boston Monday after being acquired from San Diego. He gave up five runs in three innings in his debut Wednesday against the Giants. RHP Justin Verlander (9-6, 3.74) is slated to go for the Tigers in the opener of a three-game series. ' ' '