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World Series Notebook: Game 1 Recap Sox win 5-3; Rocket's Red Light; The New Shoeless Joe Rick Gagliano | 10/22/05
Game one of the 2005 World Series went to the home team, as the Chicago White Sox slugged and pitched their way to a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros.
The much-ballyhooed starting pitching matchup of Roger Clemens and Jose Contreras went up in smoke after just two innings, as did Houston starter Clemens.
After Jermaine Dye's solo homer in the first inning, Houston's Mike Lamb tied the game in the top of the second with a bomb shot of his own.
In the bottom half of the second, the Rocket allowed two more runs on consecutive singles by Carl Everett and Aaron Rowand, a grounder by A. J. Pierzynski which plated Everett and forced out Rowand at second and a double by Jose Uribe which sent Pierzynski home.
After striking out Scott Podsednik to end the inning, Clemens was done for the night, and possibly for the series. He had faced 10 batters, but only got 6 outs on 54 pitches. Clemens did not return for the third, replaced by seldom-used Wandy Rodriguez.
Contreras allowed only two more hits after the third, the last of which, a double by Wily Taveras to lead off the eighth prompted Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen to bring in Neal Cotts from the bullpen. Cotts, after giving up a single to Lance Berkman, which moved Taveras to third, struck out Morgan Ensberg and Mike Lamb.
With two outs, Guillen made the move to bring in closer Bobby Jenks, who promptly struck out Jeff Bagwell to end the threat.
The Sox got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth and Jenks mowed down the Astros batters in order in the ninth to seal the deal.
Third baseman Joe Crede - the new Shoeless Joe - was the game's hero, as his 4th inning homer provided the margin of victory, but also for his sparkling play in the field, which included three notable plays at the hot corner which kept Houston in check.
With Clemens leaving after just two innings due to a reportedly sore hamstring, speculation is stirring that the Rocket's career is over. The hamstring injury and a sore back have been nagging Clemens for much of the season and after Saturday night's performance, it's an open question whether or not he will get another chance to start. At the moment, he's slated to go in game 5 on Thursday, though the series could be either over or firmly within the grasp of the White Sox by then. Manager Phil Garner will have to evaluate, depending on the situation, whether to risk another short start by Clemens or hand the ball to Rodriguez, who performed admirably - giving up only one run (Crede's solo homer) - in his 3 1/3 innings of work. Rodriguez was able to work out of some tight spots, but was wild, allowing five walks and four hits.
The ball is securely in Chicago's hands right now and a win over Andy Pettitte on Sunday may be all they need to take away any of Houston's hopes.
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