Best Yankee Comebacks of All Time

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, 21^st 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 100^th anniversary of their home stadium on the weekend of 20th-22^nd April, 2012, with a game against the Yankees, who were their first ever opponents at Fenway Park, on 20^th 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, 17^th 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 17^th 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, 26^th 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, 9^th 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.