Guardians Have History On Their Side For Game 5

You know what they say in the world of professional sports: A team that catches up usually goes on to win. The Cleveland Guardians lost the first two games of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, but recovered in time to tie the series 2-2 after taking Game 4 on Thursday.

Not many squads have come back from a 0-2 hole in a best-of-five matchup. It’s not as rare as reverting a 0-3 in a best-of-seven, but it’s not that common. The Guardians can pull it off with a win on Saturday’s Game 5.

History says that they have a better-than-50-percent chance of advancing to the League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Of the 18 previous teams to fall behind 2-0 in a best-of-five postseason series before rallying to win the next two games, 10 (56%) have proceeded to also win Game 5. In postseason history, teams playing winner-take-all games in their home ballpark have gone 70-68, including 19-22 in the Division Series,” Stebbins wrote.

Let’s say that history slightly favors the Guardians ahead of the deciding game this weekend, although it’s fair to point out that those playing winner-take-all games in their own stadium in this particular instance, the Division Series, have lost more than they have won.

In any case, the Guardians can’t trust history or enter the game assuming that they are favored just because past events say so. They need to, and will, hop on the field with hunger and determination to close this out and complete the unlikely comeback.

Saturday will be the biggest day of the year so far for the Guardians, the front office, the manager, the coaches, the players, and the fans. They will learn their fate, and there are two options: either they make it to the next round where the Rays await, or they will enter a potentially long offseason with lots of uncertainty ahead, with the looming lockout and plenty of key roster decisions.

We are just a few hours away from knowing if the Guardians will extend their season or if they bow out with pride and dignity. Fans certainly hope it’s the former.