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Podsednik's walk-off homer gives White Sox 2-0 lead
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-24 16:37
CHICAGO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Scott Podsednik hit a walk-off home run in the
bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, giving the Chicago White Sox a 7-6 victory
over the Houston Astros and a two-game lead in the World Series.
Podsednik, who did not hit a single homer in the regular season, drilled
Astros closer Brad Lidge's pitch over the wall in right-center field for his
second round-tripper in the postseason, sending the crowd of 41,432 into a
frenzy.
It was a wild finish to a roller-coaster contest and the win allowed the
White Sox to open a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which now heads to
Texas for the next three games.
The White Sox turned a two-run deficit into a 6-4 advantage in the seventh
inning, when Paul Konerko hit a grand slam following a questionable umpiring
call had extended the inning.
Fans stayed on their feet for the entire ninth inning as flame-throwing
rookie closer Bobby Jenks took the mound.
But Jenks -- who struck out three of the last four batters in Game One --
gave up a single and a walk to put the tying runs on base for pinch-hitter Jose
Vizcaino, who smoked a two-run scoring single down the left field line to tie
the score.
Podsednik ended it with one out in the bottom of the ninth, giving reliever
Neal Cotts the victory.
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