Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs meet for first game of the World Series

The Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians meet for the first game of the 2016 World Series on Tuesday at Progressive Field in Ohio, with the two teams carrying a combined 176-year championship drought.

The Cubs have widely been considered World Series favorites since Opening Day, and are headed by GM Theo Epstein, who assembled the also curse-breaking 2004 Boston Red Sox. In the other dugout is Indians manager Terry Francona, another fixture of the 2004 Red Sox; he will be tasked with outmaneuvering Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Playoff-tested leftie Jon Lester will lead off on the mound for the Cubs, while the Indians will start their ace, Corey Kluber.

"The baseball gods are really happy right now," said Indians first baseman Mike Napoli of the World Series matchup between the two long-suffering teams. "I wanted the Cubs to win [the NLCS], just because I knew how cool it would be to be a part of it. I think it's going to be a special World Series. There's two droughts, and there's going to be a winner."

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The first pitch is at 8:08 p.m. ET on FOX, with streaming options on Sling TV and postseason.TV.