October 23rd, 2005
World Series, Game 2
Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox
U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
One
year earlier, the Boston Red Sox had broken the “Curse of the Bambino” in
dramatic fashion when they came from three games to none down in the ALCS, to
defeat their hated rival, the New York Yankees, then swept the St. Louis
Cardinals in the World Series. The victory ended 86 years of post season
futility for the Red Sox.
In
2005, it was the Chicago White Sox’s turn to try and break their curse.
Chicago’s last championship had been in 1917 (88 years, longer than Boston’s).
They were the odds-makers’ favourites to win it again in 1919, but they lost
the best-of-nine series five games to three to the Cincinnati Reds. One year
later, eight members of the White Sox were indicted for conspiring with
gamblers to purposely lose the Series to the Reds. While all eight were found
not guilty by a court of law, they were banned for life from baseball by
commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.
The
“Curse of the Black Sox” followed Chicago’s south side team thereafter. No
World Championship and only one Fall Classic appearance, coming in 1959 (a loss
to the Los Angeles Dodgers). In 2005, Chicago took out the defending champions,
Boston, in the ALDS in a three game sweep, then defeated the Anaheim Angels in
five games in the ALCS. Their opponent in the World Series would be the Houston
Astros, who had upset the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS in six games.
After
a 5-3 win in Game 1, Chicago was looking to take a two games to none lead. For
that, they turned to left-hander Mark Buehrle to pitch while the Astros would
go with another left-hander, former Yankee great Andy Pettitte.
Houston
hit the scoreboard first, in the top of the second, when third baseman Morgan
Ensberg led off the inning with a solo home run. But the Sox came back with two
in the bottom of the inning. An RBI single by third baseman Joe Crede, and a
sacrifice fly by shortstop Juan Uribe gave Chicago the lead. But the Astros
tied the game at two in the third on a sacrifice fly of their own, this one off
the bat of first baseman Lance Berkman.
On
Berkman’s next trip to the plate, in the fifth, the Astros took a two-run lead
when the slugger doubled to left field, scoring Brad Ausmus and Willy Taveras.
The Astros took the 4-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh, but removed Pettitte
from the game in favour of relief pitcher Dan Wheeler.
With
one out, Uribe doubled. An out later, Wheeler walked Tadahito Iguchi and hit
Jermaine Dye with a pitch to load the bases for first baseman Paul Konerko. The
seven-year White Sox drilled the first pitch he saw off of new reliever Chad
Qualls over the wall for a grand slam and a 6-4 Chicago lead.
But
with two out in the top of the ninth, it was the Astros turn to come back. With
runners on second and third (Chris Burke and Jeff Bagwell), and White Sox
closer, Bobby Jenks on the mound, pinch hitter Jose Vizcaino hit a line drive
base hit to left field that scored both runners and tied the game at six.
In
the bottom of the ninth, with the game still tied and Houston closer Brad Lidge
pitching, light-hitting left fielder Scott Podsednik, who hadn’t hit a single
home run all season in 568 at bats, drilled a 2-1 pitch over the right-centre
field wall to walk off the Astros. Chicago had taken the game, 7-6, and now led
the Series two games to none.
Chicago
would go on to win Game 3, 7-5 in 14 innings, and Game 4, 1-0, to sweep the
series and win their first World Championship in 88 years. The “Curse of the
Black Sox” was broken, the second year in a row a lengthy jinx had been ended.
Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird
No comments:
Post a Comment