Schedule and 2003 Results
Regular Season Records: Chicago 88-74, Florida 91-71
Game 1 on Tuesday, 7 Oct: Florida wins at Chicago, 9-runs-8 (11)
Game 2 on Wednesday, 8 Oct: Florida loses at Chicago, 12-runs-3
Game 3 on Friday, 10 Oct: Chicago wins at Florida, 5-runs-4 (11)
Game 4 on Saturday, 11 Oct: Chicago wins at Florida, 8-runs-3
Game 5 on Sunday, 12 Oct: Chicago loses at Florida, 4-runs-nil
Game 6 on Tuesday, 14 Oct: Florida wins at Chicago, 8-runs-3
Game 7 on Wednesday, 15 Oct: Florida wins at Chicago, 9-runs-6

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: Down 5-runs-3 after four complete innings, the Florida Marlins rallied to defeat the Cubs in Chicago 9-runs-6, thus winning MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904, and advancing to series 905 (the 2003 World Series). In the 738 best-of-7 MLB playoff games from 1905 through 2002, when the road team trailed by two runs after 4.0 full innings, its record was 18-54 (.250). The Florida Marlins thus improve their Game 7 record to 2-0, while that for the Chicago Cubs falls to 0-2. Florida improves its overall best-of-7 playoff series record to 3-0, while that for the Chicago Cubs falls to 2-10 (and nine consecutive best-of-7 MLB playoff series losses). Best-of-7 series 904 is the second MLB Semifinals series, the second MLB series (any round), and the ninth MLB, NBA, or NHL series (any round) in which the victors posted a win order of WLLLWWW. Series 904 was the highest-scoring best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series ever, with 82 total runs. That total shatters the previous best-of-7 MLB Semis mark of 71 total runs, set by the Boston Red Sox and California Angels in series 473 (the 1986 American League Championship Series). The 42 Chicago Cubs series runs and the 40 Florida Marlins series runs are the second- and fourth-most (respectively) series runs by one team in best-of-7 MLB Semifinals history. The 29 series runs tallied by the Cubs in Wrigley Field in series 904 is the most runs at home by one team ever in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series, breaking the old mark of 28 home series runs set in series 473 by the Boston Red Sox (in the 1986 American League Championship Series). The 29 series runs tallied by the Florida Marlins in Wrigley Field in series 904 is the most runs on the road by one team ever in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series, breaking the old mark of 21 road series runs set in series 624 by the Pittsburgh Pirates (in the 1992 National League Championship Series).

After Game 6: Through an unprecedented (in best-of-7 MLB playoff series) eight-run eighth inning, the Florida Marlins defeated the Cubs in Chicago 8-runs-3, thereby forcing a Game 7 in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 904. With the win, the Florida Marlins improve their best-of-7 Game 6 record to 2-1; with the loss, the Chicago Cubs see their best-of-7 Game 6 record fall to 1-4. When tied 3-games-all, the Florida Marlins have a 1-0 series record (series 747: the 1997 World Series), while the Chicago Cubs have an 0-1 series record (series 55: the 1945 World Series). From 1905 through 2002, the home team in Game 7 of an MLB best-of-7 playoff series has a 5-2 Semifinals-round record and a 23-19 record overall. Chicago led Game 6 by a 3-runs-nil score after 7.0 innings: In the 738 best-of-7 format MLB playoff games from 1905 through 2002, when the home team led by three runs after 7.0 innings, its game record was 52-5 (.912). In MLB best-of-7 playoff history, only once before had a team posted a win order of LWWWLL through six games: In series 721 (the 1996 National League Championship Series), the St. Louis Cardinals did so against the Atlanta Braves ... St. Louis would lose Game 7 and the series in Atlanta. The 8-run-8th by Florida was the highest-scoring top or bottom of the eighth in MLB best-of-7 playoff series history, breaking the previous high of seven runs (in the bottom of the eighth in series 820 Game 2: the 2000 American League Championship Series, with the New York Yankees hosting the Seattle Mariners), and serving as the highest-scoring half-inning in best-of-7 MLB playoff games since series 870 Game 5 (the 2002 American League Championship Series, in which the Anaheim Angels plated ten runs in the bottom of the seventh inning at home against the Minnesota Twins).

After Game 5: Facing elimination and 0-2 on their home field in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904, the Florida Marlins not only salvaged a home-field victory but also forced a series 904 Game 6 by shutting out the Chicago Cubs 4-runs-nil in series 904 Game 5. The Florida Marlins thus maintain their best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 record at a perfect 3-0, while the best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 mark of the Chicago Cubs falls to 3-6 (with three consecutive losses and counting in this category). The Florida Marlins are trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2 for the first time. Likewise, the Chicago Cubs are leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2 for the first time. In the 128 previous best-of-7 MLB playoff series (Finals and Semifinals, inclusive), when a team led a series 3-games-1 after four games but suffered a Game 5 shutout, its series record was 3-3. By losing Game 1 and winning Game 2 at home, and winning Games 3-4 but losing Game 5 on the road, the 2003 Chicago Cubs (in series 904) are following the same pattern as that by the MLB Detroit Tigers in best-of-7 series 28 -- the 1935 World Series. The Tigers' opponent in series 28? The 1935 Chicago Cubs. Thus, the 2003 Florida Marlins are perfectly emulating the 1935 Chicago Cubs as they contend with the 2003 Chicago Cubs ... an emulation that bodes ill for Florida.

After Game 4: Striking for four runs in the top of the first, and leading 6-runs-nil after three innings and 7-runs-nil after four, the Chicago Cubs waltzed to an 8-runs-3 Game 4 victory over the Marlins in Florida. Chicago thus takes a 3-games-1 MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904 lead over Florida. With the victory, Chicago improves its best-of-7 Game 4 record to 5-7; the victory breaks a seven-game Game-Four losing streak for Chicago. With the defeat, the best-of-7 Game 4 record for the Florida Marlins falls to 0-3. Florida is trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1 for the first time in franchise history. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Chicago Cubs have a series record of 1-0 (the sole victory occurred in the 1908 World Series). With a 6-runs-nil lead after only 2.5 innings, Chicago took Game 4 beyond the precedent of a comeback victory early in the contest: In the 128 best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2002, when the road team led by six runs after 2.5 innings, its game record was 7-0. The precedents for Florida winning series 904 are now few, but one for MLB teams winning Game 1, losing Games 2-4, and winning the series exists in series 721 (the 1996 National League Championship Series). Teams in the MLB best-of-7 Semifinals which hold a 3-games-1 lead after playing Games 1-2 at home and Games 3-4 on the road are currently on an eleven-series winning streak.

After Game 3: It took eleven full innings, but the Chicago Cubs bested the host Florida Marlins 5-runs-4 to take a 2-games-1 lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904. Chicago trailed in the game after only one half-inning (after 7.0 full innings had elapsed), but nevertheless trailed by only one run at that time. In the history of best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2002, when the road team trailed by one run after seven full innings of play, its record was 17-63 (.213). Thus: After seven innings, Chicago's historical victory probability was just above one in five. The 2003 National League Championship Series Game 3 outcome has improved Chicago's best-of-7 Game 3 record to 4-8, while dropping that for Florida to 2-1. By way of series 904, the Florida Marlins now trail a best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-1 for the first time. When leading a best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-1, the Chicago Cubs have a 1-1 series record: The series win occurred in the 1908 World Series; the series loss occurred in the 1945 World Series. As is/was noted in the table: When a team loses Game 1 and wins Game 2 at home, and then wins Game 3 on the road, its series record in best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series is 3-0 (series 574: Cincinnati in the 1990 N.L.C.S.; series 623: Toronto in the 1992 A.L.C.S.; series 820: New York Yankees in the 2000 A.L.C.S.).

After Game 2: Having taken a four-run lead early in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904 Game 1 but having failed to secure a victory, the Chicago Cubs in Game 2 took an eleven-run lead after five full innings of Game 2, and went on to defeat the Florida Marlins 12-runs-3. Series 904 is thus tied at 1-game-all. Thus far in series 904, the Chicago offensive performance through the first two games has been among the tops in MLB best-of-7 playoff series history. The Cubs' nine-run margin of victory is the largest in a best-of-7 Game 2 since series 649 Game 2, in which the Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 14-runs-3 in the 1993 National League Championship Series. The Cubs' twenty total runs in the first two games of series 904 ties the 1960 New York Yankees (in series 137 -- the 1960 World Series) for the most runs scored by one team in the first two games of a best-of-7 MLB playoff series. The Cubs' twelve runs in Game 2 alone is the most in an MLB best-of-7 Game 2 since the fourteen by the 1993 Atlanta Braves (see series 649, above). Thus far, Chicago has lost Game 1 by one run and won Game 2 by nine; in series 649 (the 1993 N.L.C.S.), Atlanta lost Game 1 by one run and won Game 2 by eleven runs ... Atlanta lost series 649 to Philadelphia in six games. Chicago's eleven-run lead after 5.0 innings is the largest after 5.0 innings in a best-of-7 MLB playoff game by a home team since Game 6 of series 847 (the 2001 World Series), when the Arizona Diamondbacks led the New York Yankees 15-runs-nil after 5.0 innings. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Chicago Cubs have a series record of 0-6; when similarly tied, the Florida Marlins have a series record of 2-0. Teams such as the Florida Marlins which win Game 1 on the road and lose Game 2 on the road have had only a 2-5 MLB Semifinals series record; however, those two wins occurred in series 549 (when the San Francisco Giants topped the Chicago Cubs in the 1989 N.L.C.S., in the Cubs' last best-of-7 MLB playoff appearance) and in series 746 (when the Florida Marlins defeated the Atlanta Braves in the 1997 N.L.C.S.).

After Game 1: The Florida Marlins defeated the Cubs 9-runs-8 (11 innings) in Chicago to win Game 1 of MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 904. The 17 total runs tallied by Florida and Chicago set a new record for most total runs in Game 1 of a best-of-7 format MLB Semifinals series (set just last year at 15, in the San Francisco Giants' 9-runs-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals). The Chicago Cubs' best-of-7 Game 1 record is now 4-8; when losing Game 1 of a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, Chicago has an 0-7 series mark. The Florida Marlins' best-of-7 Game 1 record is now 3-0; when winning Game 1 of a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, Florida has a 2-0 series mark. The last National League team to lose Game 1 of a National League Championship Series but win the series was the Atlanta Braves in 1991, in best-of-7 series 599 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the 128 previous best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2002, when a team won Game 1 by a one-run margin of victory on the road, its series record was 29-19 (.604). After one inning, Chicago led 4-runs-nil and maintained that lead until Florida scored five runs in the top of the third. In the 128 previous best-of-7 MLB playoff series, when the road team trailed by four or more runs after 1.0 innings, its game record was 0-12, and when the road team trailed by 4+ runs after 1.5 innings, its game record was 0-15: In terms of such a large early deficit on the road, Florida notches a comeback victory that is -- in terms of the game state after 1.0 and 1.5 innings -- unprecedented.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2003 regular season, Florida finished three games ahead of Chicago; nevertheless, Chicago holds home-field advantage in this series through its Division Championship (Florida is the National League Wild Card entry into the 2003 MLB playoffs). From 1905 through 2002, when an MLB team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by three regular-season games, it has gone on to post a 4-3 (.571) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 904 is the 12th best-of-7 playoff series for the Chicago Cubs (the first since 1989) and the 3rd for the Florida Marlins (the first since 1997). In best-of-7 playoff series, Chicago has a 2-9 series record, an 0-1 Semis-round series record, and a 4-7 Game 1 record, while Florida has a 2-0 series record, a 1-0 Semis-round record, and a 2-0 Game 1 record. Series 904 is the first best-of-7 meeting between Chicago and Florida.