Expert: Tom Schott - 5/24/2008

Question
Which teams (and by what scores and overcoming what deficits) won games after coming back from being many runs (more than 8 runs) down in regular-season baseball games since, say, 1990?  I think I recall a couple of large-margin comebacks in one season, possibly by the same team, in the 2003-2005 period, and I'm thinking the deficits they overcame were of at least 9 runs. Of course I'd also be interested in what inning they were down the most, since the later in the game the team starts its comeback, the more impressive it appears. It may be a broad question but I'm not seeking a single game answer here, and would actually like to see a few examples if you can find them.

Answer
Dennis,

My research turned up three teams that overcame 12-run deficits to win the game. The last time this happened was on August 5, 2001, when Cleveland, trailing Seattle 14-2 after 6 1/2 innings, rallied to win in the 11th, 15-14. Here's the box score: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE200108050.shtml

The other two games were a while ago. I'll quote the source directly:

Two teams in baseball history have managed to come back from 12-run deficits to win a game. On June 18, 1911, the Detroit Tigers found themselves being trounced by the visiting Chicago White Sox, 13-1. They managed to score four runs in the fifth and three in the sixth, but Chicago countered with two runs of their own in the seventh. In the eighth, Detroit used five singles and two walks to cut Chicago’s lead to 15-13. They completed their comeback in the final frame when Ty Cobb plated the tying runs with a two-run single, his fifth hit of the day, and was driven in on a double by Sam Crawford.

Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics also managed a 12-run comeback on June 15, 1925. Down 15-3, Philly scratched out only a single run in the seventh, but proceeded to clobber Cleveland Indians' pitching for 13 runs in the eighth. Cleveland manager Tris Speaker's four pitchers, including ace George Uhle, could not stem the tide, and the A’s went on to win 17-15.

See: http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/features/experts/06_06_01.stm