The new york yankees were left for dead by many MLB experts and fans alike following their Game 2 loss in Cleveland last Friday night. It wasn’t just that the Yankees lost the game, it is how they lost that led most fans to believe that they were in trouble. New York blew an 8-3 lead late in the contest of Game 2, eventually losing 9-8 in 13 innings. Since then, the Yankees have taken over the series.
0-2 Comeback? It’s not easy, but it can be done
Coming back from an 0-2 hole in a best-of-five series is not an easy thing to do. In fact, it has only been done nine times in the modern era - most recently in 2015 when the Toronto Blue Jays crawled out of a 0-2 deficit to eliminate the Texas Rangers in five games.
The Yankees could be the 10th team to pull off this feat if they defeat the Indians in Game 5 Wednesday evening. New York has experience in this category. Back in 2001, the Yankees rallied back from 0-2, and many believe the comeback all started with the play that came to be known as the “Jeter flip.”
The Bombers have also been on the losing side of this comeback. Back in 1995, the Ken Griffey, Jr. led Seattle Mariners knocked off the Yankees in five games after trailing 0-2 in the series.
Can this Yankees team pull off another series win after trailing 0-2? They are playing with house money, meaning all the pressure is definitely on the Indians. The winner of this crucial Game 5 will take on the Houston Astros in the 2017 ALCS.
How to watch live, game odds
Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Cleveland Indians listed as a huge favorite for Game 5 at -180. The over/under run total has been set at 7.5. When the series started, I predicted that the Indians would win the series in five games. It will be tough for the Tribe to pull it out, especially since momentum has shifted towards New York.
The Indians will once again send their ace Corey Kluber to the mound, who will be opposed by former Indian CC Sabathia. Manager Terry Francona is hoping that Kluber will fare much better than he did in Game 2. Kluber gave up six earned runs in 2-2/3 innings. As for Sabathia, he was lights out. CC pitched 5-1/3 innings giving up just 3 hits and 2 earned runs.
Unfortunately, the Yankees bullpen couldn't hold a five-run lead, giving CC a no-decision in a game that he clearly pitched well enough to earn the win in.
MLB fans will be able to catch all of the action live nationwide on FOX. If you are on the go, you can still keep up with every pitch streaming live on your smartphone tablet or other devices on by downloading the FOX Sports Go app. First pitch is scheduled for just after 8 p.m. ET.