Scott Podsednik belted a walk-off home run to seal a 7-6 White Sox victory over Houston on Sunday, insuring Chicago teammate Paul Konerko’s grand slam didn’t go to waste in game two of the World Series.
The White Sox seized a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship series, which heads to Houston on Tuesday for game three.
Podsednik, who didn’t homer in 507 at-bats during the regular season, hit his second home run of the playoffs with one out into the centre field seats off Astros closer Brad Lidge.
It was the 14th walkoff homer in World Series history.
”This one came at good time,” Podsednik said. ”To hit one out of the ballpark for a game-winner is pretty much indescribable. [But] we haven’t accomplished anything yet. We still have to get two more wins.”
Lidge had also surrendered Albert Pujols’s three-run, two-out ninth-inning shot in game six of the National League Championship Series.
”I threw a fastball in a bad spot,” Lidge said. ”You hate to give a darn homer like that, but next game, I want to be right back out there.”
Konerko’s grand slam came with two outs in the seventh off Chad Qualls, who had retired 18 of the last 19 betters he faced.
The towering shot into the leftfield bleachers — the first ever postseason grand slam by a White Sox player — erased a 4-2 deficit and put Chicago 6-4 ahead.
But Houston struck back in the top of the ninth against White Sox rookie closer Bobby Jenks.
Jeff Bagwell started the rally with a single. Chris Burke drew a one-out walk, and both runners advanced on Brad Ausmus’ check-swing grounder before pinch-hitter Jose Vizcaino tied the game at 6-6 with a single to left that scored both Bagwell and Burke — who slid into home past the tag of catcher AJ Pierzynski.
The Astros briefly regained the momentum they had built before Konerko’s blast, when they looked as if they were on their way to leveling the series.
Lance Berkman had driven in three runs and starter Andy Pettitte limited the White Sox to two runs and eight hits over six innings as Houston built a 4-2 lead.
The Sox launched their rally against reliever Dan Wheeler with one out in the seventh, when Juan Uribe hit his third double of the Series. With two out, Tadahito Iguchi drew a walk and Jermaine Dye came to the plate.
Wheeler hit Dye with a 3-2 pitch to load the bases, although replays appeared to show the ball struck his bat instead.
”I disagree with the call, I think the ball hit the bat,” Astros manager Phil Garner said. ”But that didn’t cost us the game. What has cost us both games is that our pitchers haven’t done a very good job. If we ever get the ball down to Podsednik we might be able to get him out.”
Konerko said he couldn’t tell from the on-deck circle if the pitch hit Dye or his bat.
”It looked to me like maybe it was half-and-half,” he said. ”I thought Wheeler might have gotten half bat, half hand.”
After arguing to no avail, Garner sent in Qualls to replace Wheeler, only to see Konerko turn on Qualls’ first pitch.
The game was played in chilly, wet conditions, starting seven minutes late because of rain that continued throughout the contest.
The Astros, playing in the World Series for the first time in franchise history, will try to get back in it on Tuesday behind 20-game winner Roy Oswalt.
The White Sox, seeking their first title since 1917, counter with Jon Garland.
Forty-nine teams have taken 2-0 leads in the Series, with 38 going on to win the title. That includes the last five, most recently the Boston Red Sox last year. – Sapa-AFP