Get your Chicago White Sox lockout fix with memorable postseason home runs
By Todd Welter
2005 was a magical year for the White Sox as they won the World Series for the first time in 88 years. It was filled with many memorable and dramatic home runs that still provide many White Sox fans with goosebumps to this day.
October 4th, 2005: The Chicago White Sox destroyed the Boston Red Sox 14-2 to take the first game in the ALDS
A.J. Pierzynski blew the game wide open in the first inning with a three-run blast that put Chicago up 5-0. He blasted a solo shot in the eighth inning to put the White Sox up 12-2.
Scott Podsednik, who did not homer at all during the regular season, smashed a three-run bomb in the sixth. Paul Konerko and Juan Uribe also homered in the rout.
October 5th, 2005: The Red Sox jumped out to a 4-0 nothing heading into the bottom of the fifth. The White Sox were able to get two runs before Tadahito Iguchi came to the plate with two on and two outs. Iguchi took a 1-1 pitch by David Wells deep to left field to put Chicago ahead 5-4.
The Chicago White Sox went on to win Game 2 at US Cellular Field and were just one victory away from winning their first postseason series in 88 years.
October 7th, 2005: Everyone remembers Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez’s bottom of the sixth inning pitching performance. It is one of the best White Sox postseason relief showings in team history as he blanked the Red Sox that inning despite entering the game with bases loaded and no outs.
The 4-2 lead El Duque protected came in the top of the sixth when Konerko smashed a two-run homer over Fenway Park’s famed Green Monster.
The White Sox went on to complete the sweep with a 5-3 victory and won their first postseason series since 1917.
October 23rd, 2005: Game 2 of the World Series had two memorable home runs for the Chicago White Sox. The first one came during the bottom of the seventh. The Houston Astros were up 4-2. The Sox mounted a rally that inning capped off by Konerko’s blast to left field. Fox announcer, Joe Buck described the legendary grand slam in the most beautiful yet simplest of terms…
"“Bases loaded, two outs with Konerko up and he rips one into left. Konerko, grand slam!”"
#OTD in 2005: Paul Konerko hit the 18th grand slam in World Series history as the White Sox won Game 2, 7-6. pic.twitter.com/W3KIBUF4FJ
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 23, 2020
Absolutely everybody at US Cellular Field went wild as Konerko took Chad Qualls deep. Konerko rounding the bases may be one of the most iconic images in franchise history.
Houston came back to tie the game in the ninth as closer Bobby Jenks gave up two runs.
Podsednik came to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth and took Brad Lidge deep to right field for the walk-off home run. It was Podsednik’s second home run of the postseason and the Sox went up 2-0 in the World Series.
Scott Podsednik didn't record a single HR during the 2005 regular season. #OTD he ended Game 2 of the World Series in walk-off fashion... pic.twitter.com/NdkGoToPKk
— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) October 23, 2017
October 25th, 2005: Game three was one of the longest World Series games ever played. It went 14 innings and lasted five hours and 21 minutes. The Sox took a 5-4 lead with a five-run fifth inning. The Astros tied it up in the eighth. The Sox and Astros spent the next four innings battling back-and-forth to get the winning run.
Geoff Blum, the White Sox only “major” tradeline acquisition, entered the top of the 14th with two outs as a pinch hitter. He became a legend in White Sox lore when he ripped a home run to right.
The Sox won Game 3, 7-5 and the next night beat the Astros 1-0 to complete the series sweep and win the Fall Classic for the first time since 1917.