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Now that we're preparing for a World Series Game 7, now that the 2014 World Series has been pushed to its limit, things make a lot more sense.
All along, the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals seemed like two teams that were very evenly matched. Plus, they both have a notable history in Game 7s. The Royals won a Game 7 in 1985 to capture their first, last and only World Series (they won Games 6 and 7 at home too).
The Giants, meanwhile, will be playing in their fifth Game 7. They're 0-4 in those previous games, dating back to their first Game 7 in 1912. Their most recent loss was 2002 against the Angels. That's not the only way history is against the Giants. A road team hasn't won a World Series Game 7 since 1979 when the Pittsburgh Pirates did it.
Past Game 7 performances, though, aren't a valid indication of anything that will happen during Wednesday's contest. They're just fun to examine. So if we're going to talk Game 7 history, we figured we should also look back at some of the most memorable Game 7s throughout history.
This will be the 37th World Series Game 7 in MLB history and the first since 2011 when the Cardinals beat the Rangers. There have been a number of great ones over the years, but we picked memorable ones. This isn't a ranked list. Just seven that we remind you about as the Royals and Giants prepare to tussle one last time.
LUIS GONZALEZ DELIVERS D-BACKS' CHAMPIONSHIP
In what was certainly the most memorable Game 7 of this century, Luis Gonzalez cemented his status as an Arizona icon by giving the Diamondbacks their first and only World Series title in 2001. It was 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth and Gonzalez dug in against famous New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (who wasn't quite as immortal then). Gonzalez singled over Derek Jeter's head and Jay Bell rushed home as the winning run.
BILL MAZEROSKI'S WALK-OFF HOMER
Again, we're not ranking these, but many people consider the 1960 contest between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees the best World Series Game 7. The Pirates won 10-9 after Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski launched a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. His remains the only walk-off homer in World Series Game 7 history.
JACK MORRIS GOES 10, TWINS WIN
You don't know the name Jack Morris and not know this story. In 1991, Morris, the Minnesota Twins ace, was matched up with John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves. Morris had already started Games 1 and 4 in the series, but came back with his gutsiest performance in Game 7. He pitched a 10-inning shutout and the Twins won on a pinch-hit, walk-off single by Gene Larkin.
We've heard lots of talk about how much rest Madison Bumgarner will get in this series for the Giants. With MadBum in mind, consider Dizzy Dean in 1934. Pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, Dean pitched a six-hit shutout on one day's rest. The Cardinals won 11-0. It was Dean's third start of the series. Baseball is a much different game now, so we're not saying Bumgarner should be starting Game 7 because Dean did 80 years ago, but we found this worthwhile for historical context.
SANDY KOUFAX STRIKES OUT 10, THROWS SHUTOUT
One more gutsy pitching performance: Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax, in his second-to-last season, struck out 10 in a 2-0 shutout of the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 series. It was Koufax's third start of the series. He returned for Game 7 after pitching six innings in Game 2 and a shutout in Game 5. After winning Game 7 on two day's rest, Koufax was named the World Series MVP.
THE MARLINS WIN IN A WILD WALK-OFF
Whichever team wins the 2014 World Series will be following in the footsteps of the 1997 Florida Marlins, in more ways than one. The Marlins were the first wild-card team to win the series when they beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games. In the decisive game, the Marlins tied it in the ninth, then Edgar Renteria won it in the 11th with a walk-off single. Fun fact: Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer was at this game as a kid.
As we said previously, the Giants have never won a World Series Game 7. Their closest was all the way back in 1924, when the Washington Senators beat them in 12 innings. The Giants —*playing out of New York at the time — had a 3-1 lead entering the eighth inning. But the Senators scored twice to tie it, then untied it in the bottom of the 12th when Earl McNeely's grounder took a bad hop and allowed Muddy Ruel to score the game-winning run. Walter Johnson pitched four scoreless innings in relief for Washington.
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All along, the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals seemed like two teams that were very evenly matched. Plus, they both have a notable history in Game 7s. The Royals won a Game 7 in 1985 to capture their first, last and only World Series (they won Games 6 and 7 at home too).
The Giants, meanwhile, will be playing in their fifth Game 7. They're 0-4 in those previous games, dating back to their first Game 7 in 1912. Their most recent loss was 2002 against the Angels. That's not the only way history is against the Giants. A road team hasn't won a World Series Game 7 since 1979 when the Pittsburgh Pirates did it.
Past Game 7 performances, though, aren't a valid indication of anything that will happen during Wednesday's contest. They're just fun to examine. So if we're going to talk Game 7 history, we figured we should also look back at some of the most memorable Game 7s throughout history.
This will be the 37th World Series Game 7 in MLB history and the first since 2011 when the Cardinals beat the Rangers. There have been a number of great ones over the years, but we picked memorable ones. This isn't a ranked list. Just seven that we remind you about as the Royals and Giants prepare to tussle one last time.
LUIS GONZALEZ DELIVERS D-BACKS' CHAMPIONSHIP
In what was certainly the most memorable Game 7 of this century, Luis Gonzalez cemented his status as an Arizona icon by giving the Diamondbacks their first and only World Series title in 2001. It was 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth and Gonzalez dug in against famous New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (who wasn't quite as immortal then). Gonzalez singled over Derek Jeter's head and Jay Bell rushed home as the winning run.
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BILL MAZEROSKI'S WALK-OFF HOMER
Again, we're not ranking these, but many people consider the 1960 contest between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees the best World Series Game 7. The Pirates won 10-9 after Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski launched a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. His remains the only walk-off homer in World Series Game 7 history.
* * *
JACK MORRIS GOES 10, TWINS WIN
You don't know the name Jack Morris and not know this story. In 1991, Morris, the Minnesota Twins ace, was matched up with John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves. Morris had already started Games 1 and 4 in the series, but came back with his gutsiest performance in Game 7. He pitched a 10-inning shutout and the Twins won on a pinch-hit, walk-off single by Gene Larkin.
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DIZZY DEAN THROWS A SHUTOUT ON ONE DAY'S REST
We've heard lots of talk about how much rest Madison Bumgarner will get in this series for the Giants. With MadBum in mind, consider Dizzy Dean in 1934. Pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, Dean pitched a six-hit shutout on one day's rest. The Cardinals won 11-0. It was Dean's third start of the series. Baseball is a much different game now, so we're not saying Bumgarner should be starting Game 7 because Dean did 80 years ago, but we found this worthwhile for historical context.
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Your browser does not support iframes.SANDY KOUFAX STRIKES OUT 10, THROWS SHUTOUT
One more gutsy pitching performance: Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax, in his second-to-last season, struck out 10 in a 2-0 shutout of the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 series. It was Koufax's third start of the series. He returned for Game 7 after pitching six innings in Game 2 and a shutout in Game 5. After winning Game 7 on two day's rest, Koufax was named the World Series MVP.
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THE MARLINS WIN IN A WILD WALK-OFF
Whichever team wins the 2014 World Series will be following in the footsteps of the 1997 Florida Marlins, in more ways than one. The Marlins were the first wild-card team to win the series when they beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games. In the decisive game, the Marlins tied it in the ninth, then Edgar Renteria won it in the 11th with a walk-off single. Fun fact: Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer was at this game as a kid.
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WASHINGTON SENATORS BEAT THE GIANTS IN 12
As we said previously, the Giants have never won a World Series Game 7. Their closest was all the way back in 1924, when the Washington Senators beat them in 12 innings. The Giants —*playing out of New York at the time — had a 3-1 lead entering the eighth inning. But the Senators scored twice to tie it, then untied it in the bottom of the 12th when Earl McNeely's grounder took a bad hop and allowed Muddy Ruel to score the game-winning run. Walter Johnson pitched four scoreless innings in relief for Washington.
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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz*