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The World Series is the biggest stage in baseball, and the lights are at their brightest when a team is one win away from the title. When both teams are one win away? It’s historic.
Since the first-ever Fall Classic, there has been at least one World Series winner-take-all Game 7 per decade. These games have set the stage for some of the most memorable performances and unforgettable championship wins.
Here is a look back at the history of winner-take-all Game 7s in the World Series.
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How many times has the World Series gone to Game 7?
There have been 40 Game 7s in World Series history.
That figure includes the 1912 World Series, which was settled in eight games after Game 2 resulted in a tie.
When was the last World Series Game 7?
The last World Series Game 7 was in 2019. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros, 6-2, on Oct. 30, 2019.
When was the first World Series Game 7?
The first World Series Game 7 was in 1909. The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers, 8-0, on Oct. 16, 1909.
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Full list of every World Series Game 7
There have been 40 Game 7s in World Series history, with the most recent instance coming in 2019.
Below is a list of each Game 7 in World Series history, including the matchup, location and MVP for the series. The World Series MVP award was first presented after the 1955 World Series.
| Date | Winner | Loser | Score | Location | MVP |
| Oct. 16, 1909 | Pirates | Tigers | 8-0 | Detroit | — |
| Oct. 16, 1912* | Red Sox | Giants | 3-2 | Boston | — |
| Oct. 10, 1924 | Senators | Giants | 4-3 | Washington, D.C. | — |
| Oct. 15, 1925 | Pirates | Senators | 9-7 | Pittsburgh | — |
| Oct. 10, 1926 | Cardinals | Yankees | 3-2 | Bronx, N.Y. | — |
| Oct. 10, 1931 | Cardinals | Athletics | 4-2 | St. Louis | — |
| Oct. 9, 1934 | Cardinals | Tigers | 11-0 | Detroit | — |
| Oct. 8, 1940 | Reds | Tigers | 2-1 | Cincinnati | — |
| Oct. 10, 1945 | Tigers | Cubs | 9-3 | Chicago | — |
| Oct. 15, 1946 | Cardinals | Red Sox | 4-3 | St. Louis | — |
| Oct. 6, 1947 | Yankees | Dodgers | 5-2 | Bronx, N.Y. | — |
| Oct. 7, 1952 | Yankees | Dodgers | 4-2 | Brooklyn, N.Y. | — |
| Oct. 4, 1955 | Dodgers | Yankees | 2-0 | Bronx, N.Y. | Jonny Podres |
| Oct. 10, 1956 | Yankees | Dodgers | 9-0 | Brooklyn, N.Y. | Don Larsen |
| Oct. 10, 1957 | Braves | Yankees | 5-0 | Bronx, N.Y. | Lew Burdette |
| Oct. 9, 1958 | Yankees | Braves | 6-2 | Milwaukee | Bob Turley |
| Oct. 13, 1960 | Pirates | Yankees | 10-9 | Pittsburgh | Bobby Richardson |
| Oct. 16, 1962 | Yankees | Giants | 1-0 | San Francisco | Ralph Terry |
| Oct. 15, 1964 | Cardinals | Yankees | 7-5 | St. Louis | Bob Gibson |
| Oct. 14, 1965 | Dodgers | Twins | 2-0 | Minnesota | Sandy Koufax |
| Oct. 12, 1967 | Cardinals | Red Sox | 7-2 | Boston | Bob Gibson |
| Oct. 10, 1968 | Tigers | Cardinals | 4-1 | St. Louis | Mickey Lolich |
| Oct. 17, 1971 | Pirates | Orioles | 2-1 | Baltimore | Roberto Clemente |
| Oct. 22, 1972 | Athletics | Reds | 3-2 | Cincinnati | Gene Tenace |
| Oct. 21, 1973 | Athletics | Mets | 5-2 | Oakland | Reggie Jackson |
| Oct. 22, 1975 | Reds | Red Sox | 4-3 | Boston | Pete Rose |
| Oct. 17, 1979 | Pirates | Orioles | 4-1 | Baltimore | Willie Stargell |
| Oct. 20, 1982 | Cardinals | Brewers | 6-3 | St. Louis | Darrell Porter |
| Oct. 27, 1985 | Royals | Cardinals | 11-0 | Kansas City | Bret Saberhagen |
| Oct. 27, 1986 | Mets | Red Sox | 8-5 | Queens, N.Y. | Ray Knighr |
| Oct. 25, 1987 | Twins | Cardinals | 4-2 | Minnesota | Frank Viola |
| Oct. 27, 1991 | Twins | Braves | 1-0 | Minnesota | Jack Morris |
| Oct. 26, 1997 | Marlins | Cleveland | 3-2 | Miami | Livan Hernandez |
| Nov. 4, 2001 | Diamondbacks | Yankees | 3-2 | Arizona | Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling |
| Oct. 27, 2002 | Angels | Giants | 4-1 | Anaheim | Troy Glaus |
| Oct. 28, 2011 | Cardinals | Rangers | 6-2 | St. Louis | David Freese |
| Oct. 29, 2014 | Giants | Royals | 3-2 | Kansas City | Madison Bumgarner |
| Nov. 2, 2016 | Cubs | Cleveland | 8-7 | Cleveland | Ben Zobrist |
| Nov. 1, 2017 | Astros | Dodgers | 5-1 | Los Angeles | George Springer |
| Oct. 30, 2019 | Nationals | Astros | 6-2 | Houston | Stephen Strasburg |
*The 1912 World Series was settled in Game 8 after Game 2 ended in a tie.
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MLB teams with the most Game 7s
Most Game 7 wins
The St. Louis Cardinals have won eight World Series Game 7s. Their most recent World Series Game 7 win was in 2011.
- Cardinals: 8
- Yankees: 5
- Pirates: 5
- Twins: 3
- Athletics: 2
- Dodgers: 2
- Reds: 2
- Tigers: 2
Most Game 7 appearances
The Yankees have played in 12 World Series Game 7s. New York’s most recent World Series Game 7 appearance was in 2001, and its record in World Series Game 7s is 5-7.
- Yankees: 12 (5-7)
- Cardinals: 11 (8-3)
- Dodgers: 7 (2-5)
- Pirates: 6 (5-1)
- Giants: 6 (1-5)
- Red Sox: 6 (1-5)
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Has a World Series Game 7 ever gone to extra innings?
Yes, five World Series Game 7s have gone to extra innings, with it most recently happening in 2016.
Game 7 of the 2016 World Series went to 10 innings.
Has there been a World Series Game 7 walk-off home run?
Yes, there has been one walk-off home run in World Series Game 7 history.
In 1960, Bill Mazeroski hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Yankees, 10-9.
Has any team down 3-0 forced a World Series Game 7?
No, a team has never forced Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in the World Series.
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Best Game 7 performances in World Series history
Jack Morris (1991)
- Innings pitched: 10
- Pitches: 126
- Earned runs: 0
- Hits allowed: 7
- Strikeouts: 8
Jack Morris turned in what many consider to be one of the most impressive pitching performances in World Series history, let alone in a Game 7.
While the game went to extra innings, Morris remained reliable, pitching a complete game as he shut out the Braves in the Twins’ 1-0 Game 7 victory. Morris struck out eight batters in his performance, which helped deliver the title to Minnesota.
Madison Bumgarner (2014)
- Innings pitched: 5
- Pitcches: 68
- Earned runs: 0
- Hits allowed: 2
- Strikeouts: 4
Off of two days’ rest, Madison Bumgarner came out of the bullpen and threw five scoreless innings.
Bumgarner had already started and earned wins in Games 1 and 5 of the series, and for his efforts, he was named World Series MVP. San Francisco defeated Kansas City, 3-2, in Game 7.
Bill Mazeroski (1960)
- At bats: 4
- Hits: 2
- Runs: 2
- RBI: 1
- HR: 1
In his fourth MLB season, Bill Mazeroski did something that had never been done before. His plate presence is evident in the numbers, as he got two hits in his four at-bats.
No hit was bigger than his walk-off home run in the 10th inning, which is the first Game 7 walk-off homer in World Series history.
Yogi Berra (1956)
- At bats: 3
- Hits: 2
- Runs: 3
- RBI: 4
- HR: 2
Yogi Berra, a 10-time World Series champion, did not seem to be at all fazed by the moment.
The Yankees dismantled their crosstown rivals in Game 7 of the 1956 World Series, and though the stakes weren’t as high-leverage, Berra set a record with two home runs in a Game 7. That alone is noteworthy.
Lou Brock (1967)
- At bats: 4
- Hits: 2
- Runs: 1
- Stolen bases: 3
Lou Brock set a World Series record with three stolen bases in Game 7 of the 1967 series with the Red Sox. His feat stands alone in the record book and had a hand in St. Louis coming out on top to raise the trophy.
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World Series Game 7 records
Most home runs
- Team: 4, Yankees (1956)
- Individual: 2, Yogi Berra (1956)
Most hits
- Team: 17, Cardinals (1934)
- Individual: 4, Four times (Most recent: George Brett, 1985)
Most strikeouts
- Team: 13, Two times (Most recent: Yankees, 2001)
- Individual: 10, Four times (Most recent: Roger Clemens, 2001)
Most stolen bases
- Team: 4, Pirates (1909)
- Individual: 3, Lou Brock (1967)
Most RBI
- Team: 10, Three times (Most recent: Cardinals, 1985)
- Individual: 4, Five times (Most recent: Yogi Berra, 1960)
Largest margin of victory
The largest margin of victory in a World Series Game 7 is 11 runs.
Two World Series Game 7s have been decided by 11 runs — in 1985, the Royals defeated the Cardinals, 11-0, and in 1934, the Cardinals defeated the Tigers, 11-0.
Longest game
- Innings: 12, Senators vs. Giants (1924)
- Time: Four hours, 28 minutes, Cubs vs. Cleveland (2016)
Youngest pitcher to win a Game 7
Joe Garagiola is the youngest player to win a World Series Game 7.
A member of the 1946 Cardinals, Garagiola was 20 years and 245 days old when his team defeated the Red Sox, 4-3, in Game 7 of the World Series.
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Oldest pitcher to win a Game 7
Arthur Rhodes is the oldest player to win a World Series Game 7.
A member of the 2011 Cardinals, Rhodes was 42 years and four days old when his team defeated the Rangers, 6-2, in Game 7 of the World Series.
