Yanks complete 1st step of comeback; here's what they need to do next

When the Yankees found themselves facing a 2-0 deficit against the Dodgers in the World Series, they were able to look to their own history for inspiration -- the 1996 club overcame a 2-0 deficit against the Braves in the Fall Classic to win it all, and in ’78, the Yanks overcame a 2-0 deficit to the team they’re playing in this year’s Series.

But after Monday night’s 4-2 loss to Los Angeles in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, there remained only one series in MLB history that New York could look to for hope. Not only was it won by the Yankees' archrivals, the Red Sox, but it came at the Yanks’ expense 20 years ago.

• A fresh take on Boston's unprecedented comeback 20 years ago

In the 2004 American League Championship Series, the Yankees held a commanding 3-0 series lead, on the verge of their seventh World Series berth in nine years. But Boston staged the greatest comeback in baseball history, shocking New York by reeling off four straight wins -- including the final two at Yankee Stadium -- to win the pennant and eventually the franchise’s first World Series title in 86 years.

The Yankees now had no choice but to follow in the footsteps of the enemy. Prior to Game 4, we outlined their path to the comeback, and they checked off one box on Tuesday night with an 11-4 victory at Yankee Stadium. Let’s break down what happened and how the Yankees can keep their flickering title hopes alive.

Game 4: Pounce on the ’pen (ACCOMPLISHED)
Freddie Freeman took the air out of the stadium once again in the first inning by homering for the fourth time in as many games this series. But unlike in Game 3 when the Yankees were held scoreless until the ninth, they responded quickly in what was a bullpen game for the Dodgers. New York scratched a run across in the second inning before Anthony Volpe came through with the big blow: a grand slam off of Daniel Hudson in the third.

The Dodgers shaved the Yankees' lead to 5-4 with two runs in the fifth, both charged to starter Luis Gil. But four New York relievers -- Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr., Luke Weaver and Tim Mayza -- combined to no-hit Los Angeles' dangerous lineup over the final four innings. Meanwhile, the Yankees did damage versus Dodgers relievers.

Rookie catcher Austin Wells blasted a pitch from Landon Knack into the second deck in right field for a solo homer in the sixth. The Yanks then broke through for five runs in the eighth against Brent Honeywell Jr. A three-run dinger by Gleyber Torres was the highlight of the inning, but it also featured an RBI single by Aaron Judge. Prior to that at-bat, the Yankees' captain was 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts in the series. Perhaps that knock will get the likely American League MVP on track. The Bronx Bombers certainly hope so.

Game 5: All aboard the Cole train
These are the moments Gerrit Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, is paid for. With the Yankees’ backs against the wall in the second of what they hope will be four elimination games, the right-hander will need to be at his best. But if he is, he could push the World Series back across the country to Los Angeles.

Cole was outstanding in his Game 1 start at Dodger Stadium, limiting the Dodgers’ explosive lineup to one run over six innings and putting the Yankees in position to grab a 1-0 series advantage. However, Freeman sextinguished that possibility with one historic swing in the 10th inning after New York was one out away from victory.

Over his past three starts, Cole has a 2.08 ERA with 12 strikeouts and four walks over 17 1/3 innings. If he can give the Yankees another strong outing, it could keep them alive to fight another day in L.A.

Game 6: A Stantonian effort
Giancarlo Stanton loves going home to Southern California, and he loves playing at Dodger Stadium, where he used to watch Dodgers games as a kid.

It’s not just the proximity to home, however, that makes the venerable ballpark attractive to the hulking Yankees slugger -- only one active player with a minimum of 100 plate appearances there (excluding Dodgers players) has a higher career OPS at the venue than Stanton’s 1.060 (the D-backs’ Christian Walker, 1.170).

And when he launched his towering drive just inside the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer off Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty in Game 1, it was Stanton’s 11th career home run at Dodger Stadium.

The Yankees will need Stanton to do what he does when he plays in Chavez Ravine. Then they’ll hope that his broad shoulders can carry them to a Game 7. They’d prefer, of course, that the rest of the lineup outside of Stanton and Soto will have gotten going by this point.

But a Stanton blast or two would be huge in a Game 6 if the Yankees are going to have any chance at pulling off something that’s never been accomplished in World Series history.

Game 7: ‘Anything can happen’
As much as they’d hate to take up the mantra because of who uttered it just before the Red Sox began their epic comeback against them in 2004, the Yankees would need to be thinking that way going into a decisive Game 7.

Prior to Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, Boston’s Kevin Millar said that if the Red Sox could get to a Game 7 at Yankee Stadium, “anything can happen.”

Game 7, particularly if it’s the first World Series Game 7 played after one team had a 3-0 series lead, could foster chaos. And it would mean the pressure, like it was on the Yankees 20 years ago, would be on the Dodgers as they tried to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first club to blow a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

The Yankees, if they reach this stage, would love if the “narrative” surrounding the Dodgers entering this postseason -- that they would have an uphill battle given their thin pitching staff -- started to rear its ugly (or, if you’re New York, beautiful) head just in time.

It’s Game 7. Anything can happen. And in this case, “anything” could be historic.