Has it ever happened?

[Ubiquitous]

Right now it is possible that the Houston Astros will win 12 games in a row to finish the season. Also that streak might be what they need to get into the playoffs. So my question is has this after happened before? Has any team ever needed to win 12 or more games in a row at the end of the season to catch and surpass the front runner in order to move on to the playoffs?

The 1935 Cubs are not the kind of team I am looking for. For starters they lost their last two games, became the leader of the league with 12 games to play and clinch at least a tie with 4 games left to play. No what I am looking for are teams that if they went 1-11 or had lost a game in that streak they would not have not been going to the playoffs. Does any team like that exist besides possibly the 2006 Houston Astros?

[LouGehrig]

The 1960 Yankees were close in that on Sept. 14, they were tied with the Orioles for first, although they had one less loss. The Yankees then won 15 in a row to end the season, but there was much room for error and they wound up winning the pennant by 8 games.

[Ubiquitous]

So far the closest I could find was 1942 and 1951.

The Brooklyn Dodgers went 10-2 in their last 12 games, including winning their last 8 games. But the Cards went 11-1 in their last 12 games. If the Dodgers has won all of them they would have forced a tie for first.

In 1951 the Giants went 14-2 in their final 16 games. 12-1 in the regular plus 2-1 in the playoffs. They had a 8 game winning streak and a 5 game winning streak. They beat the Dodgers by one game. If they had gone 11-2 in the regular season they would have lost the tie.

Those two are the closest so far.

[Baseball Guru]

So far the closest I could find was 1942 and 1951.

The Brooklyn Dodgers went 10-2 in their last 12 games, including winning their last 8 games. But the Cards went 11-1 in their last 12 games. If the Dodgers has won all of them they would have forced a tie for first.

In 1951 the Giants went 14-2 in their final 16 games. 12-1 in the regular plus 2-1 in the playoffs. They had a 8 game winning streak and a 5 game winning streak. They beat the Dodgers by one game. If they had gone 11-2 in the regular season they would have lost the tie.

Those two are the closest so far.


Kinda along the same line, the 1964 Cards won 9 of their last 11 and won the NL by one game in one of the most famous collapses in NL history as the Phillies blew a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 to play.... The Cards won 8 in a row before losing 2 in a row and then winning on the last day of the season to win the pennant...

[Ubiquitous]

Another close one is 1993 Giants-Atl.

The Giants go 10-2 with a 7 game win streak but lose on the final day to be one game out of the playoffs. If they go 12-0 they win the division, 11-1 they tie.

So it looks to me going 12-0 is kind of unlikely, yeah okay I already knew that. But what is more important is that I think if the Astros do manage to go 12-0 and win the division it will be the first time in history that has ever happened. Pretty cool I think.

[Ubiquitous]

1965
The Dodgers with 16 games left are trailing the Giants by 4.5 games. They then win 13 games in a row and go 15-1 to win the division by 2 games.


Or how about an almost was but somewhat similar to this year?

1966, the Giants are trailing the Dodgers by 5 games with 9 to go. The Giants go 8-1 and lose the league by 1.5 games. If they go 9-0 I believe they then would have had to play Cincin in makeup game and possibly tie the Dodgers. They lost the one game and it wasn't necessary.