Yankees carry 2-0 lead vs. Guardians into off day
History shows powerful Bombers not yet out of ALCS woods
The talented 2024 Yankees, after winning the first two ALCS games at home in the Bronx, on Monday and Tuesday, would seem, upon first view, to have a stranglehold over the Guardians, as they enjoy an off-day with a workout in Cleveland, before resuming with Game 3 on Thursday at Progressive Field.
However, further examination of the history of the LCS, shows that these Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Aaron Boone led Bombers are not quite home free.
Since 1985, when the seven-game LCS format was introduced, there have been eight ALCS and NLCS that began with the home team taking a 2-0 lead, that ended up reaching a win-or-go-homer seventh game. The eight teams that took the quick 2-0 lead at home are 4-4 in those Game 7 scenarios.
Four LCS Game 7 losers after taking 2-0 lead at home:
2004 Yankees vs. Red Sox: The 2004 Yankees still have the distinction of being the only MLB playoff team to take a 3-0 lead in the LCS, then proceed to lose four straight, famously, to the Red Sox, who subsequently moved on to end the Curse of the Bambino under manager Terry Francona. That semi-final series catapulted David Ortiz into legendary Big Papi status and propelled Boston to the first of its four World Series titles over the next 15 seasons – 2004-07-13-18 — after a drought of 85 years.
1985 Blue Jays vs. Royals: The first team to lose a 7-game Championship Series after winning the first two at home was the 1985 Blue Jays against the Royals. The year before that, in 1984, it had still been a best of five ALCS. After the Jays took their 3-1 lead with a 3-1 win at Royals Stadium in ‘85, but then lost Game 5 by a 2-0 score to send the series back to Exhibition Stadium, there was a quiet sense of foreboding in Blue Jays Nation thinking back to what would have been a series win just one year earlier. The Jays lost the last three games to send the Royals to the World Series vs. the Cardinals. The Jays never led in any of the final 27 innings, in what was their first trip to the post-season. Jays are 2-5 in the ALCS through their history.
*2020 Dodgers vs. Braves: This championship series comeback by the Dodgers after losing the first two games to the Braves, most definitely deserves an asterisk. In the pandemic-shortened season, with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on society, MLB decided to designate universal sites for the post-season, with all NLCS games played at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Braves were the home team for Games 1-2, losing both, but bounced back to finally win Game 7 on a go-ahead seventh-inning solo homer by Cody Bellinger, holding on to win 4-3.
2023 Diamondbacks vs. Phillies: At an always raucous Citizens Bank Park, the confident Phillies went to work and came away with a two-game lead at home, facing an 84-win D’backs squad that had come from behind down the stretch to navigate the carnage of other fading NL contenders, to moon-walk onto the October dance-floor. Back at home, the Diamondbacks tied the series 2-2, before losing Game 5 to Zack Wheeler taking it back to the City of Brotherly Love. The Snakes then shocked the baseball world with a pair of wins over the Phillies on the road, advancing to the Fall Classic vs. the Rangers, despite being outscored 30-21.
Four Game 7 LCS winners after taking 2-0 lead at home:
1992 Braves vs. Pirates: Sid Bream lumbers home from second base to challenge the arm of Barry Bonds in left field, capping a 3-run comeback in the ninth-inning. It prompted the quickest breakdown by clubhouse staff of plastic locker covers and removal of tubs of champagne and beer from from the Braves clubhouse in MLB history. It was also Bonds last play as a Pirate.
2004 Cardinals vs. Astros: The Astros returned to Minute Maid Park from St. Louis down two games to none, but swept the Cards, three games, behind the Killer B’s – Craig Biggio, Carlos Beltran, Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman. The series went back to Busch Stadium, where the Cards regrouped on a 12th inning homer by Jim Edmonds in G6 and a sixth-inning two-run blast by Scott Rolen off Roger Clemens in G7. The Red Sox then moved in and swept the Cards in the World Series.
2017 Astros vs. Yankees: This is the season that led to the Astros being sanctioned for cheating, with an elaborate video setup of opposing signs in the tunnel behind the home dugout followed by a not-so-elaborate system of beating on garbage cans to transmit the message to the hitter. The Astros scored just five total runs in three games while being swept at Yankee Stadium, but also won all four at home.
*2020 Rays vs. Astros: Another asterisk series. Playing all the games at a neutral site Petco Park, because of the pandemic, the Rays blew a 3-0 lead playing the first two as the home team, but bounced back to win Game 7 behind Charlie Morton and early home runs by Randy Arozarena and Mike Zunino. The Rays went on to lose the World Series to the Dodgers at Globe Life Park.
Special double asterisk category in 2023:
**2023 Rangers vs. Astros: The wild-card road-warrior Rangers under MGR Bruce Bochy won the first two games on the road at Minute Maid Park, then lost all three at home to the Astors and bounced back to win both games back in Houston. Don’t mess with Texas … in Texas.
Remainder of Yankees/Guardians Series:
G3 Oct. 17 8:08 p.m. @ Progressive Field
G4 Oct. 18 TBD @ Progressive Field
G5 Oct. 19 TBD @ Progressive Field (if Necessary)
G6 Oct. 20 TBD @ Yankee Stadium (if Necessary)
G7 Oct. 21 TBD @ Yankee Stadium (if Necessary)