In Major League Baseball (MLB), a game seven can occur in the World Series or in a League Championship Series (LCS), which are contested as best-of-seven series. Based on the playoffs format arrangement, game seven — when necessary — is played in the ballpark of the team holding home-field advantage for the series.
The World Series first employed a best-of-seven format in . That format has been used annually since then, with three exceptions: , , and , which were contested as best-of-nine series. While it was played with the best-of-seven format, the World Series went to eight games due to one of the earlier games ending in a tie, necessitating a tiebreaker.
The League Championship Series began as best-of-five series, in both the American League and the National League, in . Since the season, they have used a best-of-seven format.
A game seven cannot occur in earlier rounds of the MLB postseason, as the Division Series (best-of-five) and Wild Card Series (best-of-three) use shorter formats.
Key (#)Extra innings (the number indicates the number of extra innings played)†Indicates the team that won a game seven after coming back from an 0–3 series deficit§Indicates the team that lost a game seven after coming back from an 0–3 series deficitRoad*Indicates a game seven that was won by the road teamYear (X)Indicates the number of game sevens played in that year's World Series or LCS: For the World Series, the link leads to that World Series' article. For the LCS, the link leads to the article that year's MLB season.Team (#)Indicates team and the number of game sevens played by that team at that point
All-time game sevens World Series Year Date Venue Winner Result Loser Bennett Park Pittsburgh Pirates (1) 8–0 Detroit Tigers (1) Fenway Park Boston Red Sox (1) 3–2 (10) New York Giants (1) Griffith Stadium Washington Senators (1) 4–3 (12) New York Giants (2) Forbes Field Pittsburgh Pirates (2) 9–7 Washington Senators (2) Yankee Stadium (I) St. Louis Cardinals (1) 3–2 New York Yankees (1) Sportsman's Park (III) St. Louis Cardinals (2) 4–2 Philadelphia Athletics (1) Navin Field St. Louis Cardinals (3) 11–0 Detroit Tigers (2) Crosley Field Cincinnati Reds (1) 2–1 Detroit Tigers (3) Wrigley Field Detroit Tigers (4) 9–3 Chicago Cubs (1) Sportsman's Park (III) St. Louis Cardinals (4) 4–3 Boston Red Sox (2) Yankee Stadium (I) New York Yankees (2) 5–2 Brooklyn Dodgers (1) Ebbets Field New York Yankees (3) 4–2 Brooklyn Dodgers (2) Yankee Stadium (I) Brooklyn Dodgers (3) 2–0 New York Yankees (4) Ebbets Field New York Yankees (5) 9–0 Brooklyn Dodgers (4) Yankee Stadium (I) Milwaukee Braves (1) 5–0 New York Yankees (6) Milwaukee County Stadium New York Yankees (7) 6–2 Milwaukee Braves (2) Forbes Field Pittsburgh Pirates (3) 10–9 New York Yankees (8) Candlestick Park New York Yankees (9) 1–0 San Francisco Giants (3) Busch Stadium (I) St. Louis Cardinals (5) 7–5 New York Yankees (10) Metropolitan Stadium Los Angeles Dodgers (5) 2–0 Minnesota Twins (3) Fenway Park St. Louis Cardinals (6) 7–2 Boston Red Sox (3) Busch Stadium (II) Detroit Tigers (5) 4–1 St. Louis Cardinals (7) Memorial Stadium Pittsburgh Pirates (4) 2–1 Baltimore Orioles (1) Riverfront Stadium Oakland Athletics (2) 3–2 Cincinnati Reds (2) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Oakland Athletics (3) 5–2 New York Mets (1) Fenway Park Cincinnati Reds (3) 4–3 Boston Red Sox (4) Memorial Stadium Pittsburgh Pirates (5) 4–1 Baltimore Orioles (2) Busch Stadium (II) St. Louis Cardinals (8) 6–3 Milwaukee Brewers (1) Royals Stadium Kansas City Royals (2) 11–0 St. Louis Cardinals (9) Shea Stadium New York Mets (2) 8–5 Boston Red Sox (6) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minnesota Twins (4) 4–2 St. Louis Cardinals (11) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minnesota Twins (5) 1–0 (10) Atlanta Braves (4) Pro Player Stadium Florida Marlins (1) 3–2 (11) Cleveland Indians (1) Bank One Ballpark Arizona Diamondbacks (1) 3–2 New York Yankees (11) Edison International Field Anaheim Angels (2)4–1 San Francisco Giants (5) Busch Stadium St. Louis Cardinals (15) 6–2 Texas Rangers (1) Kaufmann Stadium San Francisco Giants (7) 3–2 Kansas City Royals (2) Progressive Field Chicago Cubs (3) 8–7 (10) Cleveland Indians (3) Dodger Stadium Houston Astros (3) 5–1 Los Angeles Dodgers (7) Minute Maid Park Washington Nationals (1) 6–2 Houston Astros (4) Rogers Centre Los Angeles Dodgers (10) 5–4 (11) Toronto Blue Jays (3)
League Championship Series Year LCS Date Venue Winner Result Loser ALCS Exhibition Stadium Kansas City Royals (1) 6–2 Toronto Blue Jays (1) ALCS Fenway Park Boston Red Sox (5) 8–1 California Angels (1) NLCS Busch Stadium (II) St. Louis Cardinals (10) 6–0 San Francisco Giants (4) NLCS Dodger Stadium Los Angeles Dodgers (6) 6–0 New York Mets (3) NLCS Three Rivers Stadium Atlanta Braves (3) 4–0 Pittsburgh Pirates (6) NLCS Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta Braves (5) 3–2 Pittsburgh Pirates (7) NLCS Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta Braves (6) 15–0 St. Louis Cardinals (12) NLCS Wrigley Field Florida Marlins (2) 9–6 Chicago Cubs (2) ALCS Yankee Stadium (I) New York Yankees (12) 6–5 (11) Boston Red Sox (7) ALCS Yankee Stadium (I) Boston Red Sox (8)† 10–3 New York Yankees (13) NLCS Busch Stadium (II) St. Louis Cardinals (13) 5–2 Houston Astros (1) NLCS Shea Stadium St. Louis Cardinals (14) 3–1 New York Mets (4) ALCS Fenway Park Boston Red Sox (9) 11–2 Cleveland Indians (2) ALCS Tropicana Field Tampa Bay Rays (1) 3–1 Boston Red Sox (10) NLCS AT&T Park San Francisco Giants (6) 9–0 St. Louis Cardinals (16) ALCS Minute Maid Park Houston Astros (2) 4–0 New York Yankees (14) NLCS Miller Park Los Angeles Dodgers (8) 5–1 Milwaukee Brewers (2) ALCS Petco Park Tampa Bay Rays (2) 4–2 Houston Astros (5)§ NLCS Globe Life Field Los Angeles Dodgers (9) 4–3 Atlanta Braves (7) ALCS Minute Maid Park Texas Rangers (2) 11–4 Houston Astros (6) NLCS Citizens Bank Park Arizona Diamondbacks (2) 4–2 Philadelphia Phillies (1) ALCS Rogers Centre Toronto Blue Jays (2) 4–3 Seattle Mariners (1)
All-time standings Team Games played Wins Losses Win–loss %St. Louis Cardinals 16 11 5 New York Yankees 14 6 8 Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers 10 6 4 Boston Red Sox 10 4 6 Pittsburgh Pirates 7 5 2 Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves 7 4 3 New York / San Francisco Giants 7 2 5 Houston Astros 6 2 4 Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins 5 3 2 Detroit Tigers 5 2 3 New York Mets 4 1 3 Cincinnati Reds 3 2 1 Kansas City Royals 3 2 1 Philadelphia / Oakland Athletics 3 2 1 Chicago Cubs 3 1 2 Toronto Blue Jays 3 1 2 Cleveland Indians / Guardians 3 0 3 Arizona Diamondbacks 2 2 0 Florida Marlins 2 2 0 Tampa Bay Rays 2 2 0 California / Anaheim Angels 2 1 1 Texas Rangers 2 1 1 Baltimore Orioles 2 0 2 Milwaukee Brewers 2 0 2 Washington Nationals 1 1 0 Philadelphia Phillies 1 0 1 Seattle Mariners 1 0 1 Note: Three teams have never played a game seven: Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies. While the White Sox did play a game seven in the 1919 World Series, it was in a best-of-nine series. Teams that have never played a game seven in a best-of-seven series are excluded. Names of franchises before their relocation are also shown.
Recurring game seven matchups Count Matchup Record Years Played 4 Brooklyn/ Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Yankees Yankees, 3–1 , , , 2 New York Yankees vs. St. Louis Cardinals Cardinals, 2–0 , 2 Detroit Tigers vs. St. Louis Cardinals Tie, 1–1 , 2 Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals Cardinals, 2–0 , 2 Atlanta/ Milwaukee Braves vs. New York Yankees Tie, 1–1 , 2 Baltimore Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Pirates, 2–0 , 2 San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals Tie, 1–1 , 2 Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Braves, 2–0 , 2 Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees Tie, 1–1 ,
See also
List of Major League Baseball postseason sweeps List of World Series sweeps List of NHL game sevens List of NBA game sevens
Notes
References