2003 vs. Florida Marlins

The Cubs had a 3-1 lead in the series, with Games 6 and 7 taking place at Wrigley Field, so what could go wrong? GAME 5: Josh Beckett tossed a two-hit shutout and the Marlins got home runs from Jeff Conine, Mike Lowell and Ivan Rodriguez in an easy win. Final score: Marlins 4, Cubs 0.

GAME 6: The Bartman game. The Cubs led, 3-0, going into the top of the eighth. With one out and a man on second, Florida’s Luis Castillo lofted a fly ball down the left-field line that drifted just foul. Several fans reached for the ball and one deflected it, interfering with a possible catch by left fielder Moises Alou. Despite Alou's protests, umpires refused to call interference, allowing the at-bat to continue. Castillo walked. Rodriguez followed with a single, scoring Juan Pierre. Miguel Cabrera hit a grounder to short that could have been a double play, but Alex Gonzalez muffed it, loading the bases with one still. Derrek Lee doubled, scoring Castillo and Rodriguez. Kyle Farnsworth came in to replace Mark Prior and intentionally walked Mike Lowell, loading the bases again. Conine hit a fly ball to deep right, scoring Cabrera and allowing Lee and Lowell to move up a base. Farnsworth intentionally walked Todd Hollandsworth, loading the bases for the third time. Mike Mordecai doubled, scoring all three runners. Pierre singled in Mordecai, capping the Marlins’ eight-run inning. Final score: Marlins 8, Cubs 3. GAME 7: Again the Cubs grabbed an early lead, ahead 5-3 after three innings with ace Kerry Wood on the mound. But Wood gave up three runs in the fifth, with Rodriguez, Cabrera and Lee all driving in runs, and the Cubs never caught up. Final score: Marlins 9, Cubs 6.