Seven years ago today, something very, very cool happened for the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants.
I can’t say it’s easy to forget that it happened, because it was incredible. But, given all that came after it, the memory of this particular comeback (and how extremely unlikely it was) fades into the background a bit. I don’t want to let it. Seriously – remember how extremely unlikely it was (the peak there is a mere 1.7% chance for the Cubs):
What that chart reminds us is that, entering into the 9th inning, the Cubs were down 5-2, facing a return trip to Wrigley Field in a decisive Game 5 that would pit them against Johnny Cueto, who’d just shut them down a few games earlier (except for one solo homer). Things didn’t look so good.
And then something incredible happened. The Cubs started coming back, and they just kept coming:
The Cubs tallied four runs to take the lead, and then Aroldis Chapman closed it out for the win.
It was the largest 9th inning series-clinching comeback in postseason history, tied with the 1986 Mets.
What came next was even more historic, but if the Cubs don’t win that game with a ridiculous comeback, maybe they don’t win that series at all.