The New York Yankees have seen their fair share of epic come-from-behind wins since the beginning of our current decade.
There’s just something about comeback wins that makes it just a little sweeter than any other type of prevailing effort.The improbability of a team rising from the dead in order to walk away with a victory that you “weren’t supposed to have” creates an indescribable feeling, something Didi Gregorius is clearly feeling in the picture above.
Last night, Didi capped off a four-run New York Yankees comeback with a walk-off two-run blast to help the Bombers win a game they desperately needed to have to avoid a series loss.
So that brought up: what are the best come-from-behind wins have we seen this decade? When you consider leverage, improbability, and difficulty, New York has taken part in some crazy come backs since 2010.
Some were crazier than others, but the slideshow you’re about to take part in will bring you down memory lane and revisit some of the most prominent victories we’ve seen in modern memory.
8/25/11- Yanks Use Three Grand Slams To Fuel Comeback
The Bombers were trying to avoid a sweep, which felt impossible especially after they fell behind the Oakland Athletics 7-1 after three innings before a historic power display brought New York back to life.
Robinson Cano initiated the comeback with a grand slam in the fifth by launching a shot into the lower deck in right field to make it 7-6 Yankees.
Then, Russel Martin connected in the sixth inning with the bases loaded on a fastball that barely left Yankee Stadium to throw the Yankees ahead 10-7. In the eighth, Curtis Granderson got in on the barrage by launching a shot to help cap off the biggest comeback win since 2006 and help his team avoid a three-game sweep
To put the icing on the cake, the Yankees became the first team in major league history to hit three grand slams in a game and the highest-scoring game since they put 22 runs across the board in Boston in 2000.
7/3/15- Early Fireworks Sparks Comeback
The Yankees kicked off the Fourth Of July weekend a year ago by trailing the Tampa Bay Rays in dreary fashion as their 3-0 deficit felt like 20-0. What I’m saying is: the game felt over.
That is until Mark Teixeira launched a game-tying three-run shot in the bottom of the eight to knot the game up at three apiece.
Then, in the 12th inning, the Yankees’ first baseman singled in a run to cut Tampa’s lead to 5-4, followed by fireworks being lit up beyond right-center field, foreshadowing what was about to happen.
On the very next pitch, Brian McCann cranked a three-run walk-off blast to lift New York, in dramatic fashion, to an extraordinary 7-5 win on the eve of Independence Day.
6/29/16- Bombers Best AL’s Best With Ninth Inning Rally
Staring right into their fourth straight loss and what would have been a ten-game fallback in the American League East race, the Yanks pulled a win out of nowhere that could ultimately provide a spark to a dismal 2016 campaign.
Down 7-4 and facing Texas Rangers’ closer Sam Dyson, catcher Brian McCann pounded a tremendous three-run homer into the seats in right to knot the game up at seven after it was foreseen that New York would go down without a fight.
After a Starlin Castro walk, Yankees’ shortstop Didi Gregorius slapped a fastball just over the wall in right to cap off their first win when trailing by five or more runs in the eighth inning or later since May 1, 2009 against the Angels.
8/10/12- Ibanez Singlehandedly Lifts New York Past O’s
With the ALDS tied at one between the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, the Bombers looked lifeless in game three as they trailed 2-1 entering the ninth inning.
Slugger Alex Rodriguez was due up, but manager Joe Girardi optioned to go with Raul Ibanez, a questionable move until it paid off for the Yankees as he sent the stadium into a frenzy by shooting a game-tying home run into the seats in right to provide us with some “free baseball.”
That was cool in itself, but when he hit another home run in the 12th to throw the Yankees ahead 2-1 in the series? It was just flat-out insane.
Ibanez put on one of the greatest manifestations of playoff hitting on the biggest stage as the Yankees would go on to win the series 3-2 and keep their quest for title number 28 very much alive.
4/22/12- Yanks Epically Overcome 9-0 Deficit In Boston
Unfortunately, this doesn’t make up for their 3-0 ALCS collapse back in 2004 but if you want to talk improbable combacks, this is the game for you.
This day at Fenway marked the biggest deficit overcome in team history and seemed just about over once the Sox took a 9-0 lead.
Then, Mark Teixeira hit a solo homer in the sixth, which seemed innocent at the time but then the Yankees made it a one run game thanks to a Nick Swisher grand slam and three-run blast by Teixeira.
Swisher continued his awesome day by putting the Yankees up 10-9 with a drive off the centerfield wall followed by Teixeira padding the lead with a double. Russell Martin added a two-run double then Derek Jeter drove in a run to make it 15-9.
It not only gave the Yankees the utmost confidence, but it threw the Sox into what manager Bobby Valentine referred to as “rock bottom” and left their rivals with a bitter taste in their mouth. The best part? They had the game in the palm of their hands.
Do you agree with our list of the best comebacks since 2010? Which games would you rather have seen on ESNY’s list? Let us know in the comments below.
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