Dodgers blew a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth tonight. God’s chosen team is appearing pretty forsaken right now. But have hope:
It can be done. It’s happened before. As implausible as it may seem that the Dodgers might climb out of this 3-1 National League Championship Series hole, they can draw on history to remind themselves that they still have a chance—not a great chance, but a chance nonetheless—to advance to the World Series. …
So pardon the Dodgers if they endure some insomnia of their own, knowing that they must win three straight—including one over Phillies ace Cole Hamels on Wednesday—just to advance to the World Series. They are making no excuses, because they spent most of this series charging straight toward this predicament. But they insist that they’re now prepared to charge in the other direction.
If history has been any guide, it’s proven that such a run is possible, and that winning three straight games in October—regardless of the situation—is no more or less difficult than doing so in the regular season. The Dodgers accomplished that feat eight times.
And that’s not all. Of the 70 teams that have faced a 3-1 series deficit in Major League history, 10 of them have come back to win an NLCS, an ALCS or a World Series
I sure hope the optimism is warranted. Unforunately, this story appeared on MLB.com last October. We all know how that turned out.
