As droves of stunned pinstriped fans flowed out of Yankee Stadium late Monday night, the late Frank Sinatra belted from the ballpark speakers, his voice carrying out to the Bronx streets:
“It’s up to you, New York, New York.”
Not that anyone exiting the venue needed Ol’ Blue Eyes’ call to action after watching the Los Angeles Dodgers win Game 3 (4-2) to take a 3-0 lead in the World Series.
Yankee Stadium hadn’t hosted a World Series game since 2009, and in their long-awaited return to the Fall Classic, they immediately put themselves in an unimaginable situation. Freddie Freeman’s first-inning home run – which tied George Springer’s record of homering in five consecutive World Series games – gave the Dodgers a lead they’d never relinquish. An aura of defeat hovered over the ballpark like an ever-darkening storm cloud. Before the eighth inning, Yankees fans were already trickling out of the ballpark.
At 8:08 p.m. ET on Tuesday night, it’ll be ‘Put up or shut up’ o’clock for the Bronx Bombers. There have been 21 four-game sweeps in World Series history (including by the ‘04 and ‘07 Red Sox). According to Elias Sports Bureau, there have been 24 instances of a team taking a 3-0 lead in the World Series, but only the 1910 Cubs, 1937 Giants, and 1970 Reds managed to stave off elimination with a Game 4 win; each time, their opponent clinched in Game 5.
To say the Yankees aren’t accustomed to being in such dire straits is like saying that David Ortiz was “pretty good” at hitting in the postseason: a massive understatement. New York has won 41 pennants and 27 championships, including going 8-3 in 11 prior World Series meetings with the Dodgers. The St. Louis Cardinals are the only other Major League franchise with as many as 11 championships total.
Monday night was almost a rarity, too. The Yankees have only been shut out nine times in World Series games at home, most recently ‘03, ‘96, and ‘58. Alex Verdugo’s 2-run blast in the bottom of the ninth saved them from shutout No. 10.
Yet this is also painfully-familiar, unique territory for the Yankees. They were up 3-0 in the ‘04 ALCS before the Red Sox battled back to win the next four games for an historic pennant victory. It remains the only such comeback in any best-of-seven MLB series. In fact, it was the first time a team had even forced Game 7 after trailing 0-3.
20 Octobers later, the shoe is on the other foot. Which is worse: having the lead and imploding in historic fashion, or trailing and knowing that, save for that one band of self-proclaimed “Idiots,” every team that has ever been in the Yankees’ position has gone home bitterly disappointed? Or, that in the irony to end all ironies, they must now attempt to channel the energy of the very team that handed them the most humiliating defeat in postseason history?
‘Don’t let us win tonight.’ ‘Shock the world.’
It wouldn’t be the first time the Yankees tried to harness some of that ’04 Boston magic. During the ’22 postseason, manager Aaron Boone revealed that Yankees mental skills coach Chad Bohling had been sending ’04 Red Sox highlights to the players. Eduardo Perez had even FaceTimed David Ortiz from Boone’s office for a pregame pep talk. The result was a sweep by the Astros and Pedro Martinez on TBS’ postgame show gleefully asking, “New York, who’s your daddy now?”
To paraphrase Taylor Swift, the Yankees have seen this film before and they’re loath to repeat the ending. Yet history suggests the outcome will likely be the same.
Right down to getting trounced by Dave Roberts on their home field.
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