The New York Yankees are one of the most
successful US sports teams of all time but that doesn't mean the winning always
comes easy. Here, we take a look at the best New York Yankees comebacks of all
time.
New York Yankees 15-9 Boston Red Sox
(Fenway Park, 21st April, 2012)
It is one of the biggest rivalries in
American sport and it was a game that took place on one of the most historic
days in the history of the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were celebrating the 100th
anniversary of their home stadium on the weekend of 20th-22nd April,
2012, with a game against the Yankees, who were their first ever opponents at
Fenway Park, on 20th April. Both teams wore their 1912 kits as a
tribute to the anniversary and the Yankees cruised to a 6-2 win.
Desperate to avenge the landmark day defeat
to their rivals, the Red Sox could not have asked for a better start the
following day in a second encounter against the Yankees. Adrian Gonzalez and
Cody Ross led the attack for the Red Sox as they powered into an incredible 9-0
lead after five innings. All hope was seemingly lost for the Yankees before
Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez launched the fightback. The Yankees secured
15 points in just three innings to complete one of baseball's most
remarkable comebacks against their arch rivals.
Texas Rangers 13-14 New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium, 17th
May, 2006)
It was a season that will be remembered by
Yankees fans more for the tragic loss of pitcher Cory Lidle when his private
plane crashed into a high rise apartment block in Manhattan. However, a season
that was overshadowed by Lidle's untimely death created one of the most
stunning Yankees comebacks of all time.
Before the tragic loss of Lidle, Yankees
were up against the Texas Rangers at home on 17th May, 2006. It had
not been the best of starts for the Yankees with the Rangers taking an early
9-1 lead after just two innings. The third innings provided a glimpse of hope
with the Yankees pulling the score back to 10-3 but a win still seemed a tough
task. The fourth innings produced no further scores but the Yankees pulled two
more points back in the fifth innings and then an outstanding six point hit
without reply for the Yankees in the sixth innings saw them take a shock 11-10
lead. The Rangers pulled the game score back level in the seventh innings
before the Yankees stole the win in the final innings. Jorge Posada and Derek
Jeter were the heroes of that day in what was generally a season to forget for
Yankees fans as they crashed out of the American League Division Series to
Detroit Tigers.
Never Bet Against the Yankees
It is a term that has long been mentioned by
the more confident Yankees fans. Their proven track record of staging against
all odds comebacks has seen those that partake in online sports betting to
avoid placing a bet against a Yankees win, even if they are suffering a 9-run
deficit. Baseball is one of the most popular sports for US fans to wager on,
with many sites offering online options for people in the USA.
Even this season, the Yankees are considered
to be 28/1 outsiders to win the World Series but they are still attracting
bets. Washington Nationals are the current 13/2 favourites with the Los Angeles
Dodgers priced at 6/1, Detroit Tigers at 11/1 and the St Louis Cardinals at
12/1.
The Yankees seem to thrive in the face of
adversity. They have slightly more favourable odds to win the American League
East at 9/2 with rivals Boston Red Sox the 11/8 favourites with Toronto Blue
Jays available at 7/2. So the odds are once again up against the Yankees but
only a fool would bet against them.
Boston Red Sox 11-12 New York Yankees
(Yankee Stadium, 26th June, 1987)
There is nothing like getting a big comeback
win against your biggest rivals and it was the Boston Red Sox that were once
again on the receiving end of Yankees history in this 1987 clash between the
two baseball giants.
The Red Sox had taken a 9-0 lead after just
two innings with many Yankees fans fearing the worst on their own patch. Wade
Boggs, Jim Rice, and Dwight Evans were all playing like men possessed and it
seemed like the result could only be heading one way even at that early stage
of the game. However, in one of the most spectacular single innings
performances in the history of the sport, the Yankees hit 11
runs to turn the game on its head with Willie Randolph, Dave Winfield, and
Wayne Tolleson all impressing with the bat. The Yankees went on to win 14-13
and subject their rivals to another crushing comeback defeat. In a poetic
twist, the star pitcher for the Red Sox that day was future Yankees icon Roger
Clemens.
New York Yankees 6-2 Milwaukee Braves
(County Stadium, 9th October, 1958)
This
match is included in this list not because of any single game comeback but
because of what the win represented in terms of comebacks. This was the seventh
game in the 1958 World Series and the Braves had taken what looked to be an
unassailable 3-0 lead in the series with the Yankees only having two more home
games left in the series. The result appeared to be written in the stars.
Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the first
innings. That meant they were 1-0 up in a game that would seal the World Series
if they won. Lesser teams would have cracked under that pressure but the
Yankees galvanized and ensured the scores were level entering the final two
innings. The Yankees then pulled off a four run score in the eighth innings and
kept a no score in the final innings to secure the World Series and complete
one of the greatest World Series come backs of all time. Bill Skowron was the
lead man as he hit two home runs with Yankees legends including Yogi Bera and
Whitey Ford also helping to cement their places in Yankees history.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)