With their 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday, the New York Yankees now face the prospect of trying to come back from a 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven game American League Championship Series.
New York had chances on Monday, including in the ninth inning when they advanced the tying run to second base, but the offense was once again unable to come through. Now, they find themselves in a difficult hole, needing to win four straight games to avoid elimination. The term "must-win" gets used too often in sports, as Andrew Mearns of Pinstriped Bible noted, but that is exactly what New York now faces.
Despite the big hole, Yankee fans aren't ready to give up just yet. They are taking a one game at a time approach and Wednesday New York will have its ace CC Sabathia on the mound. As Mearns said, the focus isn't on winning Game 5, 6 or 7, but instead winning the next game.
Focus on tomorrow. Perhaps don't wait until the ninth inning to start putting good at bats together against Tiger pitching (it will be Max Scherzer, who pitched to a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings during the Division Series last year). Scratch some runs out for the ace, and to quote Terry Francona "win every inning." Winning those innings can lead to something greater if you can do it. The 2012 Yankees did not win 95 games by luck. They have the ability to do it. They have their ace going tomorrow.
It's not over.
The comeback attempt begins Wednesday in Game 4 with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on TBS.