October 12, 2005: A.J. Pierzynski’s heads-up baserunning leads to Joe Crede’s game-winning hit to even ALCS

Chicago White Sox fans were hoping for a better outcome in the 2005 American League Championship Series. The two previous trips to the ALCS were not kind to the Southside fans. The White Sox could muster only three combined wins in 1983 and 1993. Now in 2005, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim eked out a 3-2 victory over Chicago in Game One.

Game Two was scheduled as a night game at the White Sox’ US Cellular Field. Despite the loss in Game One, commuters on the Dan Ryan Expressway and the CTA Red Line were equally overflowing and boisterous.

Both teams chose a left-hander as their starting pitcher. The visiting Angels went with Jarrod Washburn (8-8, 3.20 ERA regular season) while the White Sox countered with Mark Buehrle (16-8, 3.12 ERA).

Washburn had been battling strep throat, which kept him off the pitching mound in the ALDS against the New York Yankees. “I felt like I let the team down in the last series and can’t wait to get out there and help them out,” he said.1

For Buehrle, the 2005 season was already memorable. Outside of his excellent regular season, Buehrle started for the AL in the All-Star Game at Detroit’s Comerica Park. He was credited with the win in the AL’s 7-5 victory. He also beat Boston in Game Two of the ALDS, helping Chicago sweep the reigning world champions.

A beautiful autumn day was forecast for the Windy City: high temperatures in the low 60s with a slight chance of rain in the evening.2 Illinois US Senator Barack Obama strode to the pitcher’s mound to deliver the ceremonial first pitch. The 41,013 fans in attendance were ready and anxious for Game Two.

The White Sox manufactured a run in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff batter Scott Podsednik reached second base on a throwing error by Washburn. The Angels starter airmailed the ball over first baseman Darin Erstad’s outstretched glove and into foul territory along right field.3 Tadahito Iguchi sacrificed Podsednik to third, from where he scored on Jermaine Dye’s groundout, short to first.

In the bottom of the second, Aaron Rowand doubled to right field. On an error by right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, Rowand kept running and might have scored but the throw from Guerrero to third base and then home enabled Angels catcher Jose Molina to tag out the sliding Rowand.

Los Angeles did not record its first hit until the top of the fourth inning. A one-out double by Orlando Cabrera put a runner in scoring position. However, the Angels could not drive him in.

Robb Quinlan led off the top of the fifth with a solo home run off Buehrle. The score was tied, 1-1.

The White Sox had an opportunity to grab the lead back in the home half of the fifth inning. A.J. Pierzynski led off with a walk. After Joe Crede flied out, Juan Uribe singled Pierzynski to second base. Podsednik popped out to third baseman Quinlan and Iguchi was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Angels manager Mike Scioscia went to his bullpen, bringing in reliever Brendan Donnelly to replace Washburn. Donnelly struck out Dye to end the White Sox threat.

In the top of the eighth, Molina led off with a single to left field. Jeff DaVanon was sent in as a pinch-runner. However, he only moved up as far as third base before Buehrle retired the Angels.

Buehrle set the Angels down in order in the top of the ninth. Until this point in the game, there was not much scoring, or anything noteworthy except for both teams not being able to score more than one run, along with some blown opportunities. The complete-game effort by Buehrle was one of four thrown by Chicago starters in the ALCS.

This scenario was about to change.

Angels reliever Kelvim Escobar had entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was still hurling as the White Sox came up in the ninth to take their cuts. Carl Everett grounded out and Rowand struck out. It certainly looked as if extra innings were in the cards. Pierzynski stepped into the batter’s box. The count went full. It appeared as if Escobar struck out Pierzynski on a split-finger fastball. Pierzynski swung wildly and missed Escobar’s pitch. The Angels’ catcher, Josh Paul, who had replaced Molina, backhanded the sinking pitch. Home-plate umpire Doug Eddings raised his right arm, his right fist balled up in the “You’re out!” signal.4 Paul rolled the baseball back to the pitching mound and the Angels headed to the first-base dugout. It appeared that extra innings would ensue.

But Eddings never called Pierzynski out. Pierzynski alertly ran to first base. He was ruled safe and suddenly the White Sox were still alive. Scioscia came out to protest, as did anyone wearing the Angels’ grays. Eddings had doubts that Paul caught the ball cleanly, ruling that the catcher trapped the ball. However, he never made a safe signal. “Doug Eddings called him out, and somewhere along the line, because the guy ran to first base, he altered the call,” said Scioscia.5

When the game resumed, Pablo Ozuna was inserted as a pinch-runner for Pierzynski. Ozuna stole second base. Crede lined a double into the left-field corner, scoring Ozuna. The White Sox won, 2-1, and tied the series at one win apiece.

The game may have been completed. But the controversy and overanalysis was just beginning. “That’s my mechanism when it’s a swinging strike,” said Eddings. “I did not say ‘No catch.’ If you watch the replay (as I’m pumping my fist). I’m watching Josh Paul, so I’m seeing what he’s going to do. I’m looking directly at him. That’s when Pierzynski ran to first base.”6

“I caught the ball,” said Paul. “It was strike three. He was out. … It’s not my fault. I take no responsibility for that whatsoever.”7

“I didn’t hear him call me out, so I thought – I thought for sure the ball hit the ground,” said Pierzynski. “I watched the replay 50 times, and I still don’t know. I think Josh thought he caught it, and I just ran, and luckily it worked out.”8

Baseball likes to compare incidents that happen in games to previous history. Don Denkinger, the umpire noted for a blown call in the 1985 World Series, was now fielding questions about Eddings and his no-call. “I’m not saying he was wrong, but maybe his gestures were wrong,” said Denkinger.9 Whitey Herzog, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985 and the recipient of Denkinger’s blown call, thought that Scioscia should have protested the game and put the decision in the lap of Commissioner Bud Selig.10

Not to be forgotten: Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen dropped a third strike in Game Four of the 1941 World Series. The miscue triggered a three-run inning for the New York Yankees, who beat the Dodgers, 7-4, thus, edging closer to another championship.

The White Sox swept the Angels in the next three games in Anaheim to win their first ALCS. It was their first pennant since 1959. Chicago continued its hot streak, sweeping the Houston Astros in the World Series. It was the White Sox’ first World Series championship since 1917.

Sources

In addition to the sources referenced in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHA/CHA200510120.shtml and Retrosheet.org https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2005/B10120CHA2005.htm for pertinent information, including the box score and play-by-play.

Photo credit: A.J. Pierzynski, Trading Card Database.

Notes

1 T.J. Simers “To Request, Anderson Will Sleep On It,” Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2005: A21.

2 Tom Skilling, “Weather Report,” Chicago Tribune, October 12, 2005: Section 2-12.

3 FOX broadcast, on YouTube Angels vs White Sox (2005 ALCS Game 2), accessed December 12, 2024.

4 Tim Brown, “Angels Lose Game in Bizarre Ending,” Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2005: A1.

5 Bill Plaschke, “Umpire Is Charged With the Error,” Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2005: A21.

6 Mike DiGiovanna, “Umpires Defend the Controversial Call That Leads to Chicago’s 9th-Inning Win,” Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2005: A21.

7 Brown, “Angels Lose Game in Bizarre Ending,”

8 DiGiovanna, “Umpires Defend the Controversial Call That Leads to Chicago’s 9th-Inning Win.”

9 David Haugh, “Ump Who Blew ’85 Call Comes to Eddings’ Aid,” Chicago Tribune, October 14, 2005: 4-4.

10 Fred Mitchell “NLCS Bits,” Chicago Tribune, October 14, 2024: 4-3.