1.) New York Yankees (101-61), 2004
Rdiff: 89 / Postseason: Lost ALCS
After a disappointing World Series loss in 2003, the Yankees made another run in 2004. The season started in typical fashion. A deal between the Red Sox and Rangers to bring Alex Rodriguez to Fenway Park fell through last minute, and the Yankees, as they always seemed to do at the time, swooped in and made the mother of all blockbuster trades.
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This was a season that featured brawls in Fenway park, and MLB’s favorite villain, A-Rod was in the mix of it all.
In 2004, the Yankees and Red Sox were ready for a rematch of the ALCS. The previous year, the Yankees won via the walk off fashion in game 7 of the ALCS
The 2004 series started and the Yankees were putting the pedal to the metal, winning the first three games handily. Game three almost appeared to be an omen, the final score being 19-8 in favor of the Yankees. It almost seemed like the world was mocking the Red Sox.
19-8 closely resembles the last year the Red Sox had won the World Series: 1918.
But the self proclaimed “idiots” weren’t about to give up, even though history was not on their side. No team in history had come back to win a series after being down 3-0… until now.
Game four: The Yankees enter the bottom of the 9th in Fenway Park with a 4-3 lead. The greatest RP of all time, Mariano Rivera, tows the rubber and delivers a 9th inning single to Bill Mueller which scores Dave Roberts from 2nd. Then, in the bottom of the 12th, a walk off home run by David Ortiz forces a game five.
Game five: The Yankees enter the 8th with a 4-2 lead. David Ortiz strikes again, smashing a bomb off of Tom “Flash” Gordon cutting the lead to one. Enter Mariano Rivera, again. A Jason Varitek sac fly brings in the tying run, Dave Roberts… again. The, in the bottom of the 14th, David Ortiz strikes AGAIN! A line drive single to center drives in Johnny Damon which forces a game six.
Game six: The bloody sock game. Curt Schilling puts together one of the most memorable starts in postseason history, defeating all the odds by making a start despite undergoing “experimental” ankle surgery. All it took was a 4-run fourth inning to put that Yankees away that day. The Red Sox, of course, force a game seven.
Game seven: Johnny Damon slams the final nail in the coffin by smashing two home runs and driving in six runs, which was more than enough to make history. For the first time ever, a team has come back from 3-0 to win a series.
The Curse of the Bambino officially ends.