ALCS Game 5: Chicago White Sox 6, Los Angeles Angels 3
Contreras Controls Angels in Complete Game
That September meltdown doesn't look so bad anymore for the White Sox. They got in the playoffs. And that's all the opportunity they needed.
With a 6-3 triumph in Los Angeles, Chicago's "other" team is now "the" team in the Windy City.
On the arm of Jose Contreras (who went the distance, a feat done in every game for White Sox starters), the Black-hosed Gamblers stuck it to the California Cherubs in the fifth and decisive game.
The game began to take shape in the fifth inning, tied at 1-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Sox's Scott Podsednik had a quiet yet microcosmic at-bat. In a 9-pitch at-bat, he fouled off five pitches and drew a walk, putting two runners on base for Jermaine Dye. That performance wore down Angels pitcher Paul Byrd just enough to make manager Mike Scioscia uneasy. After a Tadahito Iguchi popout, Jermaine Dye cranked a double to left, scoring a run and knocking Byrd out of the game. Scioscia couldn't afford any more runs and put Scot Shields in the game, who forced Paul Konerko to harmlessly fly out to left.
Another crazy play happened in the bottom of the inning. After Adam Kennedy legged out an infield hit, Chone Figgins broke out of a 1-for-15 series average by smashing a ground-rule double to right field that was snagged by a beer-wielding front row fan, scoring Kennedy and tying the game. Then Orlando Cabrera chopped a high grounder back to second, advancing Figgins to third. Then their soft-spoken leader Garret Anderson fired a sac fly to deep right field, getting Figgins home and taking the lead, 3-2.
Yes, the Angels can small ball it too.
Opening the seventh, Game 2 hero Joe Crede generated a run the strong way — over the outfield wall, tying the game at 3-3 off Kelvim Escobar.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Matthew,
Great post about a GREAT team! I'd love to see the Sox win it all. And pitching has been the key. It's sweet that Contreras went the distance. Steingrubber must be wetting himself because he let him and El Duque go, and what the Yankees had the least of this year was pitching. Ha-ha!
By the way, weeks ago a psychic told my cousin the Sox were going to win the series. At the time, we thought it was Boston. Hmmmmm.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
The White Sox made many solid acquisitions beyond the ex-Yankee Cubans:
* Scott Podsednik from the Brewers
* A.J. Pierzynski from the Giants
* Freddy Garcia from the White Sox