Can The Cubs Rally From 0-3 NLCS Deficit? 'It's Been Done Before'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- What had been a dream season for the young Cubs is on the verge of becoming just the latest chapter in a century-long losing streak.
After losing 5-2 to the Mets in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the Cubs have fallen in an 0-3 hole in the best-of-seven series and face a must-win game Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.
Only one other team in baseball history has come back to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games. That was the 2004 Red Sox, who rallied to beat the New York Yankees in four straight games after being down 3-0 in the American League Championship Series. Cubs president Theo Epstein was the general manager of the Red Sox at the time.
"We show up and win tomorrow, we're dangerous, trust me," Epstein said after Tuesday's loss. "So, it's been done before, rumor has it, and we can do it. We've done it. We have nine winning streaks of four or more games this year. We get hot, we get really hot. So we can do it."
The Epstein connection was reason enough for many Cubs fans to leave Wrigley Field believing the improbable is doable.
"There's something to be said for a Cub fan having hope, but coming back from a deficit like this takes a lot of hope," one fan said.
Besides, one couple reasoned, how could the Cubs lose on the day the 1989 movie "Back To The Future II" predicted would be the day the Cubs would end their 107-year World Series drought?
Cubs players also were staying confident that they can come back.
"The confidence in this clubhouse is never going to go away, but we've just got to keep playing baseball, you know?" first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "One New York team has blown a 3-0 lead, let's make it the other New York team now. That's the way we're going to look at it. It's the only thing we can do. We have to be optimistic, and we have to come out playing baseball."
Game 4 against the Mets starts at 7:07 p.m. at Wrigley Field.