History says Orioles ALCS comeback hopes are doomed
The Baltimore Orioles have dropped the first two games of the American League Championship Series, falling victim to the buzz saw that is the Kansas City Royals. For the Orioles to advance to the World Series they need to win four of the next five games, and if history is any guide Baltimore will see its season end before the Fall Classic.
Since the League Championship Series switched to a best-of-seven format in 1985, there have been 25 teams who won the first two games, including this year’s Royals. In the previous 24 instances, only three teams came back to win the series.
The first two comeback teams came in that first year of the expanded LCS. The 1985 Royals overcame 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits to the Toronto Blue Jays to advance to the World Series, and the 1985 Cardinals were down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers but won the next four games.
The only other team to overcome a 2-0 LCS deficit was the 2004 Red Sox, who were down 2-0 and 3-0 against the New York Yankees and became to date the only MLB team to overcome a 3-0 playoff series deficit.
Here is the full list of previous teams to fall behind 0-2 in a League Championship Series:
All three of the comeback teams lost the first two games on the road. However, the Orioles dropped two home games and now must head to Kansas City for the next three, they hope.
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