Four Years Ago Today, the Cubs Pulled Off an Incredible 9th Inning Comeback Against the Giants in the NLDS

Four 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):

This is a thing of freaking beauty. pic.twitter.com/i7CAsO1APV

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) October 12, 2016

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. Things didn’t look so good.

And then something incredible happened. The Cubs started coming back, and they just kept coming:

4 years ago, the @Cubs completed their series-winning comeback against the Giants! pic.twitter.com/4RNgW5D6uR

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 11, 2020

The Cubs tallied four runs to take the lead, and then Aroldis Chapman closed it out for the win.

What came next was history, but if the Cubs don’t win that game with a ridiculous comeback, maybe they don’t win that series at all.