The Yankees are certainly down, but they’re not out.
Their Game 4 victory to avoid elimination on Tuesday night in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers gave them another life in trying to become the second team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in MLB history, and the first ever in the Fall Classic.
“[Monday] night, we all said, ‘Hey, we love making history,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr. “The atmosphere [in the clubhouse] has never changed. I feel like in here we’ve always stayed positive. Nobody’s ever hung their heads down in here. After a loss we’re still head up, talking to each other and laughing and saying that we still got this bro. …
“We always talk about (making history). We were down 2-0 and we were still saying, hey this s−−t ain’t gonna be easy. But, this is what we’re made for. After we lost Game 3, we said ‘Hey, who doesn’t want to make history?’ S−−t, I know I love making history. I love writing my name in the history books and being a part of it, so let’s do it. … We know it’s never been done, a 3-0 comeback, but we feel like we’re the team that can do it.”
There is something dangerous about playing a team that has been counted out with seemingly nothing to lose — despite playing for a world championship. The Yankees took a “screw it,” attitude into Game 4 and it paid dividends in a resounding 11-4 victory.
Kind of felt it after last night, like down 3-0, like why not go out tomorrow and have fun? Like see what happens,” said Austin Wells. “I feel like it just kind of was mutual, just a mutual feeling. Knowing that this was the last guaranteed day of baseball for the season, definitely didn’t want to take it for granted and wanted to enjoy the moment.”
Considering where they were after Monday night’s loss, the Yankees find themselves in an interesting spot to suddenly make this a series. Gerrit Cole will take the ball in Game 5 to keep their season alive and bring the Fall Classic back to Los Angeles — and some pressure on the Dodgers flight home.
“Having the ace on the mound for another must-win game, like you said, if you don’t have all the confidence in the world, I don’t know what you’re going to have,” Wells said. “I think we have a lot of confidence in him to be able to go out tomorrow, give us a quality start, and put us in a good position to win the game. But we’ll see what happens.”
While there was a lot of talk from Chisholm about a potential comeback, the Yankees captain poured some hot water on the optimism saying it’s still a one-game-at-a-time mentality.
“It’s all the same,” said Judge. “We’re all just focused on one game. Even when the series was 0-0, it’s just about winning one game and kind of just going from there. Just because our backs are against the wall, it doesn’t really change that mindset. Especially with this group, we’ve been through a lot.”
The Yankees will once again fight to see another day on Wednesday night and join the Dodgers on their travels to the West Coast.
