Fall Classic has seen remarkable rallies
The 1985 Royals, the 1986 Mets and the 1996 Yankees each lost first two at home but came back to win it all
It’s not unprecedented, but it’s quite an uphill challenge that faces the Astros.
No team has overcome losing the first two games of the World Series at home since 1996. Here’s a look at the three comebacks from 2-0 down when opening at home. All three were remarkable rallies that also required some good fortune.
1985 Royals
The Royals knew how to rally, as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to win the ALCS in the first year the championship series format was extended to best-of-7. In the World Series, they went down 2-0 after a crushing Game 2 loss when they led 2-0 entering the ninth inning and gave up four runs with two outs. The Royals won Game 3 in St. Louis behind a strong effort from rookie righthander Bret Saberhagen but lost Game 4 to fall to the brink. They won Game 5 as Danny Jackson turned in a strong start.
Game 6 in Kansas City is remembered for controversy. The Royals trailed 1-0 entering the ninth and Cardinals closer Todd Worrell appeared to get Jorge Orta for the first out on a grounder to first base but umpire Don Denkinger erroneously called Orta safe ( Jack Clark’s throw to Worrell clearly beat the runner). The Cardinals promptly melted down, losing a foul pop-up in the lights, giving up another hit and committing a passed ball. Their collapse culminated with Dane Iorg’s two-run, walkoff single.
Game 7 was no contest as the Royals rolled to an 11-0 win behind a Saberhagen complete game and ample offense. To add insult, Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar and manager Whitey Herzog went ballistic and were ejected by home-plate umpire Denkinger.
1986 Mets
The Mets survived a grueling
NLCS against the Astros, winning twice in walkoff fashion and then taking Game 6 in 16 innings at the Astrodome to avoid having to face Mike Scott in Game 7. In the World Series, they lost Game 1 of the World Series 1-0 on a late-inning error and Game 2 in the ballyhooed Dwight Gooden-Rogers Clemens matchup in which both aces were hit hard.
But the Mets rallied to win
Games 3 and 4 to Boston before losing Game 5 to face elimination. Their Game 6 victory is one of the most memorable, as they were down 5-3 with two outs and two strikes in the 10th inning before three straight hits, a wild pitch and then Bill Buckner’s infamous error allowed the winning run to score.
New York then trailed 3-0 entering the sixth inning of Game 7 before rallying for three runs. The Mets plated three more in the seventh and two in the eighth to extend the Red Sox’s misery to 68 years without a championship.
1996 Yankees
The Yankees needed two games more than the minimum to make their first appearance in the Fall Classic since 1981. But in the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the defending champion Braves whipped them by 12-1 and 4-0 scores. David Cone then pitched the Yankees to a Game 3 win in Atlanta before the series turned in Game 4.
The Braves jumped out to a 6-0 lead but the Yankees drew within 6-3 and the Braves sent closer Mark Wohlers out for a six-out save in the eighth. But facing Jim Leyritz with two runners on, Wohlers hung a slider that Leyritz clubbed over the left-field wall for a three-run, game-tying home run. In the 10th inning, pinch hitter Wade Boggs drew a bases-loaded walk off Steve Avery and the Yankees added another run via error to tie the series.
Andy Pettitte outdueled John Smoltz in Game 5, the last at Fulton County Stadium, winning 1-0 as Paul O’Neill made a running catch on Luis Polonia’s deep drive to right-center field with the tying and winning runs on base to end the game. In Game 6, the Yankees scored three times during the first inning of Game 6 and won 3-2 for their first championship since 1978.