2005 – Thousands attend a victory rally near City Hall to celebrate the Astros’ first pennant in their 43-year history. Getting swept in the World Series did little to dampen the enthusiasm. Owner Drayton McLane says “give us one more year” to bring a World Championship to Houston.
On October 26, 2005, the Chicago White Sox defeat the Astros, 1-0, to earn their first World Series title since 1917. The victory gives the Sox a four-game sweep of Houston, whose making their first trip to the Fall Classic. Jermaine Dye, the Series MVP, delivers the game-winning hit in the eighth which is…
For the 14th time in World Series history, a walk-off home run ends the contest when Scott Podsednik’s ninth-inning blast in Game 2 at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field beats the Astros, 7-6. Bill Mazeroski remains the only player to accomplish the feat in the seventh game of the Fall Classic.
2005 – In the World Series opener, Jose Contreras pitches seven solid innings, then relievers Neal Cotts and Bobby Jenks combine for two scoreless innings – getting five of the last six outs on strikeouts – as the Chicago White Sox defeat the Houston Astros, 5 – 3, at U.S. Cellular Field. Joe Crede and Jermaine Dye hit home runs for Chicago. Houston starter Roger Clemens leaves the game after two innings with a strained left hamstring, the same injury that caused him to miss a start in late September. While registering 92 mph on his fastball, he struggles, allowing three runs on four hits in the two innings and leaves after throwing 54 pitches.
The Astros, one of six teams to have never played in the World Series, break the franchise’s 43-year drought and advance to the Fall Classic, beating the Cardinals in the NLCS, 5-1. Houston had been close before, coming up short five times in their history in a game with the NL flag on the line, including being one strike away in Game 5 before Albert Pujols dashed the hometown dreams by hitting a two-strike, two out three-run ninth-inning homer, forcing a Game 6 in St. Louis.
The Montreal Canadiens pay tribute to the departed Expos team by raising a commemorative banner to the rafters of Montreal’s Bell Centre. Displaced mascot Youppi, working in his first game for the NHL team, and former players Gary Carter and Andre Dawson are on hand to assist in the hoisting of the blue and orange banner that features their retired numbers, 8 and 10, respectively, as well as the numbers for Tim Raines (30) and Rusty Staub (10).
The Chicago White Sox clinch the American League pennant with a 6 – 3 victory over the Angels at Angel Stadium. Jose Contreras becomes the fourth consecutive White Sox pitcher to throw a complete game, the first time this has happened since the 1956 New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers behind five straight complete games from Whitey Ford, Tom Sturdivant, Don Larsen (who pitched a perfect game), Bob Turley and Johnny Kucks. This is the White Sox’s first trip to the World Series since 1959.
On October 4, 2005, after six years away from the dugout, Jim Leyland is hired to manage the Detroit Tigers. Leyland replaces Alan Trammell, who was fired at the end of the season. In 1997, Leyland guided the Florida Marlins to a World Series title, and in Pittsburgh in the 1990s, he had won three…
On October 3, 2005.00 The ax begins to fall as two managers are fired the day after the season ends. Jim Tracy (5-years/427-383) and Alan Trammell (3-years/186-300) are fired by the Dodgers and Tigers, respectively.
In the top of the sixth inning at Busch Stadium, Ozzie Smith emerges from the gate in right field wall in an open convertible. After touring the warning track, the former Cardinal shortstop removes the digit “1”, his old uniform number, which is affixed to the outfield wall, revealing a “0” to indicate the number of regular-season games scheduled at Busch Stadium.
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