When the Yankees lost Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, I went and bought a ticket to Game 3 of the ALDS. It’s an easy piece of business this time of year. There’s rarely a better time to grab playoff seats than after the team has lost and spirits are deflated, and the Yankees have made a bit of a habit of deflating our spirits in recent Octobers.

The next night, New York won a rousing Game 2 against the Red Sox, just barely surviving on the margins to stay alive. A day later, thanks to a friend offering up an extra ticket, I ended up heading last-minute to Game 3, and witnessed what quickly turned into a legendary performance from a rookie pitcher.

Then, the Yankees traveled to Toronto. They got absolutely flattened over the weekend, setting up another must-win Game 3. And for the seco

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