Can't Rain on Our Parade

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 24, 2005 4:22PM

Chicagoist thought the cold and wet weather forecast might give the Sox an edge in this weekend's World Series games. How often does Houston deal with 45 degrees or rain inside their retractable roof stadium? And the hail that fell prior to each game? Maybe Hell really has frozen over!

That positive premonition was right, as the White Sox won both games at the Cell this weekend! They took Game 1 5-3 Saturday night and won 7-6 in Game 2 Sunday night to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series at they now head down to Houston.

Saturday night's game started off with a bang as Jermaine Dye hit a home run off the Astros' Roger Clemens in the 1st inning to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. After Houston tied the game in the top of the 2nd, the Sox added two more. Houston tied the game in the 3rd, but Clemens strained his hamstring and was replaced by Wandy Rodriguez to start the bottom of the 3rd. A 4th inning homer by Joe Crede put the Sox on top again at 4-3 and a Scott Podsednik triple in the 8th scored A.J. Pierzinski for an insurance run. That last run was unnecessary as rookie sensation Bobby Jenks mowed down the Astros for the final 4 outs of the game. Sox win! Sox take a 1-0 series lead!

The Astros scored first in Game 2, when Morgan Ensberg homered off Mark Buehrle in the 2nd inning. The Sox countered with 2 runs on a string of singles by the lower half of their order. Joe Crede drove in the first run and then Pierzynski scored when Juan Uribe grounded into a fielder's choice. The Astros tied the game in the 3rd and took s 4-2 lead in the 5th inning. Yet another controversial call when Jermaine Dye was "hit" by a pitch loaded teh bases before Paul Konerko hit what looked like the knockout blow -- a grand slam to turn a 2-run defecit into a 2-run lead. But Bobby Jenks couldn't close out the game this time, allowing the 'Stros to tie the game in the 9th. No matter, as Scott Podsednik -- who hit exactly 0 home runs in the regular season -- put the ball over the right-centerfield fence for a walk-off home run. Sox win 7-6! What a finish!

The series now moves down to Houston for the next three games. Roy Oswalt faces Jon Garland on Tueday night in Game 3, which should be another exciting matchup. With the Sox as hot as they are, will they even return to U.S. Cellular this season, or will they close out our first World Series title in 88 years down in Houston?