Offtrack
10-06-2005, 08:18 AM
Oct. 6, 2005, 12:48AM
RED SOX VS. WHITE SOX
Champs put on the ropes
Iguchi's homer carries Chicago to verge of ALCS
By MARK GONZALES
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox moved one game closer to winning their first American League Division Series, thanks to their ability to seize the moment.
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Their dramatic comeback Wednesday night was fueled when former teammate Tony Graffanino missed an inning-ending double-play grounder and eventually led to Tadahito Iguchi's dramatic three-run homer to cap a five-run fifth inning and erase a four-run deficit.
It continued when Mark Buehrle overcame a rough start to neutralize Boston's lineup and culminated when flame-throwing rookie Bobby Jenks hurled two innings to complete a 5-4 victory over the defending world champions before a delirious crowd of 40,799 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Even after taking a 2-0 advantage in this best-of-five series, the White Sox know obstacles still lie ahead. But they feel even better about their resiliency after the manner in which they rebounded Wednesday.
Next up: 'fun' at Fenway
"We have a lot of guys who have never been there before, but they all understand what's it about," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said after Chicago became the seventh team in ALDS history to overcome a deficit of four runs or more to win. "We're up two games against the Red Sox. Now we get to go to Fenway (Park), where all the fun starts."
Of the 22 teams that have possessed a 2-0 advantage in the Division Series, 18 have gone on to win.
But the White Sox remember vividly how Boston overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series before sweeping St. Louis in the World Series.
And right fielder Jermaine Dye broke out in a sheepish smile when reminded about his 2003 Oakland team that had a 2-0 advantage over Boston in the ALDS before losing three straight.
But the White Sox possessed the same relentless style that enabled them to humble Boston 14-2 in Game 1.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Game 1 starter Matt Clement, who allowed three homers in 3 1/3 innings Tuesday, would be moved to the bullpen for Friday's game.
Chicago's ability to sustain rallies, as well as keep its bullpen fresh with quality starting pitching, gives the White Sox the belief they can eventually put away the defending champs.
"I think what's helped us was playing that series in Cleveland," Dye said of last week's three-game sweep at Jacobs Field. "Even though it didn't mean anything, guys wanted to prepare for the playoffs. Before you knew it, we won the first two, and guys came out in the third game trying to put (the Indians) away."
Chicago didn't show any signs of losing its composure, even after falling behind 4-0 in the middle of the third and getting only two hits off 42-year-old lefthander David Wells through four innings.
The White Sox were 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday's blowout, but that was dwarfed by their unselfish display of hitting in the fifth on Wednesday.
Carl Everett led off the fifth with an opposite-field single to right and scored from first on Aaron Rowand's double. Pierzynski was delighted just to hit a grounder to second that moved Rowand to third.
It paid off when Joe Crede's grounder squeezed through the middle of the infield for a single to score Rowand and cut Boston's lead to 4-2.
Costly error
That set up the biggest play, as Uribe hit a slow grounder to second that rolled under Graffanino's glove.
One out later, Iguchi glared at home plate umpire Bill Miller over a strike call and thenripped a 1-1 curve over the left-field fence.
Iguchi said through translator Ryan McGuire that he had been looking for a curve since Wells had made him look foolish on Aug. 12 at Fenway.
RED SOX VS. WHITE SOX
Champs put on the ropes
Iguchi's homer carries Chicago to verge of ALCS
By MARK GONZALES
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO - The Chicago White Sox moved one game closer to winning their first American League Division Series, thanks to their ability to seize the moment.
ADVERTISEMENT
Their dramatic comeback Wednesday night was fueled when former teammate Tony Graffanino missed an inning-ending double-play grounder and eventually led to Tadahito Iguchi's dramatic three-run homer to cap a five-run fifth inning and erase a four-run deficit.
It continued when Mark Buehrle overcame a rough start to neutralize Boston's lineup and culminated when flame-throwing rookie Bobby Jenks hurled two innings to complete a 5-4 victory over the defending world champions before a delirious crowd of 40,799 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Even after taking a 2-0 advantage in this best-of-five series, the White Sox know obstacles still lie ahead. But they feel even better about their resiliency after the manner in which they rebounded Wednesday.
Next up: 'fun' at Fenway
"We have a lot of guys who have never been there before, but they all understand what's it about," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said after Chicago became the seventh team in ALDS history to overcome a deficit of four runs or more to win. "We're up two games against the Red Sox. Now we get to go to Fenway (Park), where all the fun starts."
Of the 22 teams that have possessed a 2-0 advantage in the Division Series, 18 have gone on to win.
But the White Sox remember vividly how Boston overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series before sweeping St. Louis in the World Series.
And right fielder Jermaine Dye broke out in a sheepish smile when reminded about his 2003 Oakland team that had a 2-0 advantage over Boston in the ALDS before losing three straight.
But the White Sox possessed the same relentless style that enabled them to humble Boston 14-2 in Game 1.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Game 1 starter Matt Clement, who allowed three homers in 3 1/3 innings Tuesday, would be moved to the bullpen for Friday's game.
Chicago's ability to sustain rallies, as well as keep its bullpen fresh with quality starting pitching, gives the White Sox the belief they can eventually put away the defending champs.
"I think what's helped us was playing that series in Cleveland," Dye said of last week's three-game sweep at Jacobs Field. "Even though it didn't mean anything, guys wanted to prepare for the playoffs. Before you knew it, we won the first two, and guys came out in the third game trying to put (the Indians) away."
Chicago didn't show any signs of losing its composure, even after falling behind 4-0 in the middle of the third and getting only two hits off 42-year-old lefthander David Wells through four innings.
The White Sox were 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday's blowout, but that was dwarfed by their unselfish display of hitting in the fifth on Wednesday.
Carl Everett led off the fifth with an opposite-field single to right and scored from first on Aaron Rowand's double. Pierzynski was delighted just to hit a grounder to second that moved Rowand to third.
It paid off when Joe Crede's grounder squeezed through the middle of the infield for a single to score Rowand and cut Boston's lead to 4-2.
Costly error
That set up the biggest play, as Uribe hit a slow grounder to second that rolled under Graffanino's glove.
One out later, Iguchi glared at home plate umpire Bill Miller over a strike call and thenripped a 1-1 curve over the left-field fence.
Iguchi said through translator Ryan McGuire that he had been looking for a curve since Wells had made him look foolish on Aug. 12 at Fenway.