an ek . ▁ ▁With ▁thousands ▁of ▁fans ▁on ▁the ▁street ▁outside ▁sold - out ▁W rig ley ▁Field , ▁po ised ▁to ▁celebr ate , ▁the ▁C ubs ▁held ▁a ▁ 3 – 0 ▁lead ▁going ▁into ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁e ighth ▁in ning ▁of ▁Game ▁ 6 . ▁After ▁Mike ▁Mor de ca i ▁hit ▁a ▁high ▁pop ▁fly ▁to ▁left ▁field , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁a ▁mere ▁five ▁out s ▁away ▁from ▁their ▁first ▁World ▁Series ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Mark ▁Prior ▁had ▁retired ▁the ▁last ▁eight ▁hit ters ▁and ▁had ▁allowed ▁only ▁three ▁hits ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁point . ▁Center ▁fiel der ▁Juan ▁Pierre ▁then ▁hit ▁a ▁double ▁off ▁Prior . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁e ighth ▁pitch ▁of ▁his ▁at ▁bat , ▁Luis ▁Cast illo ▁hit ▁a ▁high ▁f oul ▁ball ▁toward ▁the ▁left ▁field ▁wall . ▁C ubs ▁left ▁fiel der ▁Mo is és ▁Al ou ▁( a ▁former ▁Mar lin ) ▁head ed ▁toward ▁the ▁stands ▁to ▁catch ▁the ▁ball ▁for ▁the ▁potential ▁second ▁out . ▁As ▁Al ou ▁reached ▁for ▁the ▁ball , ▁C ubs ▁fan ▁Steve ▁Bart man , ▁along ▁with ▁others ▁near ▁the ▁area , ▁did ▁the ▁same . ▁The ▁ball ▁b ounced ▁off ▁Bart man ' s ▁hands ▁and ▁into ▁the ▁stands . ▁Though ▁the ▁C ubs ▁ple aded ▁for ▁a ▁call ▁of ▁fan ▁inter ference , ▁left ▁field ▁u mp ire ▁Mike ▁Ever itt ▁ruled ▁that ▁the ▁ball ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁play ▁and ▁was ▁therefore