DYK: Facts, figures from Cubs' epic comeback

Chicago scores 12 unanswered, including 9-run eighth inning, to shock Atlanta

April 15th, 2018

Sub-30 degree wind chills, wind gusts over 25 mph and plenty of rain. That was just the start of a memorable day at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs scored 12 unanswered runs to shock the Braves with a 14-10 comeback victory Saturday after trailing, 10-2, in bone-chilling temperatures. That included a nine-run eighth inning for Chicago, which gave the fans brave enough to venture to Wrigley something to truly remember.
It was the Cubs' biggest comeback since they erased another eight-run deficit against the Nationals on July 7, 2011, in Washington. In that game, Chicago was down, 8-0, in the top of the sixth, and proceeded to score six runs in that frame, followed by two in the seventh, and one each in the eighth and ninth to win, 10-9.
Relive the Cubs' comeback with the best plays and fan reactions
Saturday's epic comeback was a run shy of the franchise's biggest, which came on Aug. 29, 1989, when Chicago erased a nine-run deficit against the Astros. In that game, the Cubs were down, 9-0, in the bottom of the sixth. They scored two in the sixth, three in the seventh, and four in the eighth to tie the game. Then they won in walk-off fashion in the 10th inning on a Dwight Smith RBI single.
Saturday's comeback featured plenty of twists and turns, particularly the wild eighth inning. Here are some things you should know about Chicago's shocker:
• The Cubs trailed, 10-2, when they came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last team to erase a deficit of at least eight runs in the sixth inning or later was the Yankees against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium on April 28, 2017 -- New York trailed, 11-1, entering the bottom of the sixth inning and went on to win, 14-11.

• The last time any team scored nine or more runs in the eighth inning of a game or later came on Aug. 27, 2017, when the D-backs had a nine-run eighth inning against the Giants in an 11-0 win at Chase Field.
• Chicago's nine-run eighth inning marked the franchise's first frame of nine or more runs since July 30, 2012, when the Cubs plated nine runs against the Pirates in the fifth inning of a 14-4 victory at Wrigley Field. It also marked only the sixth time since Aug. 29, 2002, that the Cubs scored nine times in one inning.

• Saturday's frigid loss marked the first time the Braves had blown a lead of at least eight runs since Aug. 25, 2010, against the Rockies at Coors Field, when Atlanta blew a nine-run lead, the largest blown lead in franchise history.
• The Cubs completely flipped the script on the Braves, turning that eight-run deficit into a four-run victory. Per STATS LLC, the last team to win a game by four or more runs after trailing by at least eight runs was the Blue Jays. Toronto came back from eight runs down to beat the Reds, 14-9, on June 20, 2014.
• The Cubs needed just three base hits during their nine-run rally in the eighth, as Atlanta issued five walks and a pair of hit by pitches to help the Chicago's cause. Three of the Cubs' runs scored via bases-loaded walks. Per Elias, the last team to issue at least seven combined walks and hit by pitches in one frame was the Blue Jays on April 17, 2014, vs. the Twins in the second game of a doubleheader at Target Field.

• This marked the second time this week that a team scored at least nine runs in one inning on three or fewer hits. The Red Sox did the exact same thing Tuesday when they scored nine times against the Yankees on just three hits in the sixth inning of their 14-1 rout at Fenway Park.
• The Cubs totaled 10 hits, a respectable figure but unique in this case considering they scored 14 times. It's just the 18th time since at least 1908 that a team has scored at least 14 runs on 10 or fewer hits, and the first time since the Phillies beat the Mets, 14-8, on 10 hits on Sept. 1, 2015. It's just the second time the Cubs have accomplished that feat, the first coming in a 15-2 win against the Dodgers on April 24, 1958 -- a game in which they recorded just nine hits.
• All nine runs the Cubs scored in the eighth inning came with two outs -- was hit by a pitch to open the frame, and that was followed by a strikeout, a single and an strikeout. That's when the floodgates opened. According to Elias, the last time a club scored nine times with two outs in an inning was on June 2, 2016, when the Mariners scored nine runs in the seventh inning of a 16-13 victory over the Padres in San Diego.

• The last time the Cubs walked 10 or more times in a single game was on Sept. 13 of last season against the Mets, a 17-5 victory in which they drew 11 bases on balls.
• The last time the Braves' pitching staff issued 10 or more walks in a single game was earlier this month, when on April 2, Atlanta pitchers walked 10 Nationals batters in an 8-1 loss at SunTrust Park.