Milwaukee Brewers

Brewers down in NLCS, but history says they're not out

Published Oct. 18, 2018 12:03 p.m. ET

The Milwaukee Brewers are in a precarious position -- win or, well, stay home.

Down three games to two to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, the Brewers must win Game 6 and Game 7 at Miller Park to advance to the World Series. One loss and the season is over.

While Milwaukee might be down, they certainly are not out. After all, the Brewers were 51-30 (.630 winning percentage) at home during the regular season and 3-1 so far this postseason.

History says the Brewers have a fighting chance as well.

The League Championship Series went to a seven-game format in 1985, with 16 series going the full amount. There have been 19 instances in which a team was down 3-2 and got to play the final two games at home. Of those, eight went on to the World Series. But this century (note: there were no such instances from 1999-2003), it's occurred eight times with four home teams winning both Games 6 and 7. In fact, the last two times this happened -- Houston in 2017 and San Francisco in 2012 -- the home team prevailed. Interestingly, just once has the home team won Game 6 only to lose Game 7.

Teams returning home down 3-2 in an LCS (* - home team won both games and went to World Series)

1985 NLCS: Dodgers lost Game 6 to Cardinals

1986 ALCS* Red Sox beat Angels (10-4 and 8-1; were down three games to one)

1986 NLCS: Astros lost Game 6 to Mets

1987 NLCS*: Cardinals beat Giants (1-0 and 6-0)

1991 NLCS*: Braves beat Pirates (1-0 and 4-0)

1993 ALCS: White Sox lost Game 6 to Blue Jays

1995 ALCS: Mariners lost Game 6 to Indians

1996 NLCS*: Braves beat Cardinals 3-1 and 15-0; were down three games to one)

1997 ALCS: Orioles lost to Indians

1997 NLCS: Braves lost to Marlins

1998 NLCS: Braves lost to Padres

2004 NLCS*: Cardinals beat Astros (6-4 and 5-2)

2005 NLCS: Cardinals lost to Astros

2006 NLCS: Mets lost to Cardinals (Mets won Game 6, lost Game 7)

2007 ALCS: Red Sox beat Indians (12-2 and 11-1; were down three games to one)

2010 NLCS: Phillies lost to Giants

2011 NLCS: Brewers lost to Cardinals

2012 NLCS*: Giants beat Cardinals (6-1 and 9-0; were down three games to one)

2017 ALCS*: Astros beat Yankees (7-1 and 4-0)

Other seven-game ALCS/NLCS

1985 ALCS (Royals over Blue Jays)

1988 NLCS (Dodgers over Mets)

1992 NLCS (Braves over Pirates)

2003 ALCS (Yankees over Red Sox)

2003 NLCS (Marlins down 3-1, won last two in Chicago)

2004 ALCS (Red Sox down 3-0, won last two in New York)

2008 ALCS (Rays over Red Sox)