A brief history: Here's every World Series Game 7

A Game 7 is one of the rarest treats in sports, especially when it happens in the World Series.

The Fall Classic has seen 40 of them, including a Game 8 in 1912, when a Game 2 tie extended the Series. Amazingly, the road teams have the edge in these contests, winning 21 and losing 19. Road teams have won four straight World Series Game 7s, including in 2019, after losing the previous nine.

One cool thing about Game 7 of the World Series: it's usually close. Of the 40 winner-take-all World Series contests, 15 have been decided by a single run. Twenty-two of the 40 have been decided by two runs or fewer, 29 by three runs or fewer and 33 by four runs or fewer. Those 33 include each of the last 11 Game 7s, going back to the Mets' 1986 win over the Red Sox. Five of those last 11 Game 7s have been one-run games.

Here's a look at every World Series Game 7 in Major League Baseball's history.

Oct. 30, 2019 -- Nationals 6, Astros 2
A Major League team based in Washington had not won a World Series since 1924, but that changed when the Nats finally got the job done at Minute Maid Park. For the fifth time in October, they trailed in an elimination game, and for the fifth time, they came back to win -- a single-postseason record. Max Scherzer gutted out five solid innings, Game 4 starter Patrick Corbin came out of the bullpen for three scoreless innings of relief, and Anthony Rendon got the team on the board with a solo homer off Zack Greinke in the seventh. That cut Houston's lead to 2-1, and veteran Howie Kendrick struck the biggest blow later in the frame with a go-ahead two-run shot off reliever Will Harris. The Nationals tacked on a few insurance runs from there, and Daniel Hudson closed out the first championship in franchise history.

Nov. 1, 2017 -- Astros 5, Dodgers 1
After a hard-fought and thrilling six games, the Astros clinched their first championship in Game 7. Houston got out to an early 5-0 lead, highlighted by Series MVP George Springer's two-run homer off Yu Darvish in the second inning. Springer became the first player to homer in four consecutive games of the same World Series.

Nov. 2, 2016 -- Cubs 8, Indians 7 (10)
Chicago led by scores of 5-1 and 6-3, but Cleveland kept battling back. Rajai Davis' game-tying two-run homer for the Tribe off Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning will go down in World Series lore, but it was Ben Zobrist who made himself a Cubs legend, hitting a go-ahead double in the 10th inning to help put their 108-year title drought to rest.

Oct. 29, 2014 -- Giants 3, Royals 2
Madison Bumgarner delivered a pitching performance for the ages in Game 7, throwing five shutout innings in relief on two days' rest to clinch the Giants' third championship in five seasons. Bumgarner protected a one-run lead the entire time, the longest save in postseason history, en route to winning Series MVP.

Oct. 28, 2011 -- Cardinals 6, Rangers 2
St. Louis backed up its wild comeback win in Game 6 to secure its second championship in six years. Allen Craig hit the go-ahead homer in the third inning, and Chris Carpenter threw six solid innings.

Oct. 27, 2002 -- Angels 4, Giants 1
Garret Anderson's three-run double in the third inning broke a 1-1 tie, and three Angels relievers backed John Lackey as Anaheim won its second straight game at home to claim the series.

Nov. 4, 2001 -- D-backs 3, Yankees 2
Luis Gonzalez's walk-off bloop single off Mariano Rivera is one of the most iconic World Series moments of all time. That was just the end of a thrilling Game 7 that featured a battle between starters Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, a shutdown relief effort by Randy Johnson and a game-tying double by Tony Womack off Mo before Gonzalez's walk-off.

Oct. 26, 1997 -- Marlins 3, Indians 2 (11)
The Marlins locked up their first championship as a franchise in their fifth season. Craig Counsell hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to tie the score, then scored the winning run on Edgar Renteria's 11th-inning walk-off single.

Oct. 27, 1991 -- Twins 1, Braves 0 (10)
It was a pitchers' duel for the ages as this game remained scoreless into extras. In a legendary World Series performance, the Twins' Jack Morris finished a 10-inning shutout to earn his fourth win of the postseason. Gene Larkin delivered a pinch-hit RBI single for a walk-off in the bottom of the 10th.

Oct. 25, 1987 -- Twins 4, Cardinals 2
Frank Viola had already started Game 4 of the Twins' World Series run. It didn't go well as he gave up five runs in just 3 1/3 innings. Viola came back strong in eight innings during Game 7, allowing just two runs on six hits to lead the Twins to their first World Series.

Oct. 27, 1986 -- Mets 8, Red Sox 5
After the legendary Game 6 comeback, Keith Hernandez and the Mets wouldn't let the Red Sox repeat their Game 7 ALCS magic. Hernandez racked up three RBIs as teammates Darryl Strawberry and Ray Knight each had solo home runs to help the Mets win their second and latest championship.

Oct. 27, 1985 -- Royals 11, Cardinals 0
After topping the Blue Jays in an American League Championship Series Game 7, Bret Saberhagen led the Royals in a rout over the Cardinals with a shutout. Saberhagen allowed five hits as a scorching Darryl Motley went 3-for-4 to seal the championship.

Oct. 20, 1982 -- Cardinals 6, Brewers 3
Joaquin Andujar grabbed his third straight postseason win to earn the Cardinals their ninth set of World Series rings. Andujar gave up seven hits and three runs, as the Redbirds had a solid outing at the plate with 15 hits.

Oct. 17, 1979 -- Pirates 4, Orioles 1
It was a defensive standoff between the Orioles and Pirates as Jim Bibby and Scott McGregor took the mound. Despite an eight-inning gem from McGregor, the Bucs would win their fifth and latest championship, following a three-RBI outing by Willie Stargell.

Oct. 22, 1975 -- Reds 4, Red Sox 3
The Red Sox took a 3-0 lead in third inning, but the Reds fought back and took the lead in the ninth to secure Cincinnati's first World Series title since 1940.

Oct. 21, 1973 -- Athletics 5, Mets 2
The A's went up, 4-0, in the third inning when Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson belted two-run home runs off Jon Matlack to secure the victory and give Oakland its second of three consecutive titles.

Oct. 22, 1972 -- Athletics 3, Reds 2
A pair of runs in the sixth inning handed the A's a 3-1 lead before Rollie Fingers shut the door in the ninth to hand the city of Oakland its first world championship in any sport.

Oct. 17, 1971 -- Pirates 2, Orioles 1
Pittsburgh starter Steve Blass carried a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning before Baltimore managed a run. However, he retired the O's in order in the ninth to clinch the title.

Oct. 10, 1968 -- Tigers 4, Cardinals 1
A year removed from his amazing World Series performance, Bob Gibson was outpitched by Mickey Lolich, who worked on just two days' rest to secure a Tigers championship.

Oct. 12, 1967 -- Cardinals 7, Red Sox 2
Bob Gibson dazzled in the deciding game, allowing only three hits. He was backed by a St. Louis offense that scored seven runs off of Boston's Jim Lonborg.

Oct. 14, 1965 -- Dodgers 2, Twins 0
Sandy Koufax was close to untouchable in the Dodgers' win over the Twins. Koufax retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced, finishing the game with a three-hit shutout.

Oct. 15, 1964 -- Cardinals 7, Yankees 5
With Bob Gibson and Mel Stottlemyre both working on two days' rest, Stottlemyre was lifted after four innings, while Gibson went the distance to claim the World Series for St. Louis.

Oct. 16, 1962 -- Yankees 1, Giants 0
The Yankees scored a run in the fifth inning when Tony Kubek hit into a double play. It proved to be the difference in a tight 1-0 World Series win for New York.

Oct. 13, 1960 -- Pirates 10, Yankees 9
Possibly the greatest Game 7 of all time, Bill Mazeroski came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied at 9-9 and hit the only Game 7 walk-off home run in Fall Classic history, giving the Pirates their first World Series title since 1925.

Oct. 9, 1958 -- Yankees 6, Braves 2
The two teams were locked in a 2-2 tie through seven innings before the Yankees scored four runs in the eighth inning behind a three-run home run from Moose Skowron to secure a World Series win.

Oct. 10, 1957 -- Braves 5, Yankees 0
Lew Burdette, who had already won two games in the series, got the ball for Milwaukee in Game 7. He tossed a seven-hit shutout, as the Braves knocked out Don Larsen in the third inning, cruising to a 5-0 victory.

Oct. 10, 1956 -- Yankees 9, Dodgers 0
Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5 wasn't the only Yankees shutout in the series. After the Yanks took the lead with two first-inning runs, Johnny Kucks tossed a three-hitter to defeat the Dodgers and starter Don Newcombe.

Oct. 4, 1955 -- Dodgers 2, Yankees 0
"Wait 'til next year" was the Dodgers' motto when they famously lost their first seven World Series. Brooklyn starter Johnny Podres made sure "next year" was 1955 by tossing a shutout against the vaunted Yankees lineup in Game 7.

Oct. 7, 1952 -- Yankees 4, Dodgers 2
The Yankees carried a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning, where reliever Bob Kuzava retired Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson with the bases loaded to end the threat. He pitched another two scoreless frames and earned his second Series-clinching save in as many years.

Oct. 6, 1947 -- Yankees 5, Dodgers 2
The Dodgers took an early 2-0 lead to knock out Yankees starter Spec Shea. But it was all Yanks after that as they scored five runs over four different innings. New York's Joe Page tossed five innings of one-hit relief work.

Oct. 15, 1946 -- Cardinals 4, Red Sox 3
Dom DiMaggio's two-run double tied the game in the top of the eighth inning for Boston. But the Cardinals took the lead in the bottom of the inning when Enos Slaughter scored all the way from first on a Harry Walker single to center field.

Oct. 10, 1945 -- Tigers 9, Cubs 3
The series best known for the Curse of the Billy Goat came down to a decisive Game 7 at Wrigley Field. The Tigers scored five runs in the first inning, and starter Hal Newhouser went the distance to clinch the series for Detroit in what was the Cubs' last trip to the Fall Classic until their drought-shattering 2016 championship.

Oct. 8, 1940 -- Reds 2, Tigers 1
Bobo Newsom, whose father had suffered a fatal heart attack earlier in the series, pitched six solid innings for Detroit on just one day's rest. But he tired in the seventh, surrendering a game-tying double and a game-winning sac fly, and the Reds held on for the victory.

Oct. 9, 1934 -- Cardinals 11, Tigers 0
Dizzy Dean, pitching on just one day of rest, was brilliant in tossing a six-hit shutout. The game was delayed after St. Louis' Joe Medwick and Detroit's Marv Owen fought after Medwick's hard slide into third, which prompted fans to throw soda bottles and fruit onto the field.

Oct. 10, 1931 -- Cardinals 4, A's 2
The Cardinals jumped out in front early with two runs in the first inning and put the game essentially on ice with two more in the third. Philadelphia wouldn't score until the ninth inning, but its two runs weren't enough.

Oct. 10, 1926 -- Cardinals 3, Yankees 2
Grover Cleveland Alexander held the Yankees scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings after he had picked up the victory in Game 6. With Lou Gehrig at the plate and the Yanks trailing by one, Babe Ruth was caught stealing second base to end the series.

Oct. 15, 1925 -- Pirates 9, Senators 7
The Senators blew a 6-3 lead when Hall of Famer Walter Johnson, who won Games 1 and 4 in the series, ran out of gas. Pittsburgh scored three times in the eighth and won, 9-7. Washington shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh, the AL MVP, committed eight errors in the series.

Oct. 10, 1924 -- Senators 4, Giants 3 (12)
Many baseball historians argue this was the greatest Game 7. Washington fell behind, 3-1, but tied it with two runs in the eighth. The Senators went on to win the game in the 12th on a bad-hop grounder that scored Muddy Ruel, giving Washington, D.C. its only title.

Oct. 16, 1912 -- Red Sox 3, Giants 2 (10)
In what was technically Game 8, after Game 2 resulted in a tie because of darkness, New York went ahead, 2-1, in the top of the 10th on Fred Merkle's single. But in the bottom of the frame, center fielder Fred Snodgrass dropped a lazy popup, which proved costly in Boston's 3-2 win.

Oct. 16, 1909 -- Pirates 8, Tigers 0
On just one day of rest, Babe Adams tossed a six-hit shutout for the Pirates, who easily won baseball's first winner-take-all Game 7. It marked Ty Cobb's last appearance in a World Series and the third consecutive year the Tigers lost in the Fall Classic.