Can You Say Sweep?

Sunday night after Game 2, some friends, my sister and I were on the train back in from US Cellular field and I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed.   One of the best baseball games the world has ever seen and I didn't come down off my high for nearly 24 hours. 

I was in the Upper Deck for both games with the true die-hard Sox fans.  Fans that have been with the team for 10, 20, 30, 40 years and longer.  When you see the eyes of real tough guys start to swell up with tears you start to realize something special is happening.  I mean guys screaming in Game 1 'HEY ROGER, YOU AIN'T GOT SH!T!!!' then nearly start crying like a baby is something to see. 

Game 1 was Joe Crede's night.  His homer in the fourth powered the Sox past the Astros 5-3.  Crede made a couple amazing plays in the field with his glove also.  Twice with guys on third he took away RBI doubles.  Astros pitcher Roger Clemens was taking out after only two innings having thrown more than fifty pitches.  Jermaine Dye made Clemens throw 8 pitches before he hit a homer off him in the 1st inning.  It was just that kind of night for Roger and the 'Stros. 

 Closer Bobby Jenks reacts after shutting down the Astros in the top of the 9th to give the Sox a 5-3 win in Game 1.

Game 2 came down to the bottom of the 9th knotted at 6.  Podsednik stepped to the plate and everybody in the crowd was thinking 'just get on base Scotty.'  Juan Uribe had just missed a homer right before.  Everybody had just sat down when all of a sudden, Podsednik nails a shot to left.  We sat in awe for a split second not sure if it was going to be caught.  When it crossed the right-center wall the place went amazingly insane. 

 Houston closer Brad Lidge watches Scott Podsednik's game winning homerun in the bottom of the 9th sail over the wall giving the Sox a 7-6 win and a 2-0 lead in the World Series. 

I didn't think the place could get any louder than in the 7th inning.  With Uribe and Iguchi on, Jermaine Dye's hit-(cough)-by-(cough)-pitch, loaded thebases.  Up stepped Paul Konerko who rocketed a grand slam over the left field wall.  Talk about out of control.  That was the best feeling I've ever had at a sporting event.  Fans seemingly threw whatever they had in their hands up in the air.  One guy in our row had an entire cup of beer dumped on him by the guy behind him during the celebration.

With no homers in the regular season, Podsednik was hoping, with the rest of us, just to get on base.  Steal second and hopefully score on a single.  He now has hit two postseason homers.  Sunday nights game winner will live on in White Sox history until the end of time. 

I have been to some incredible sporting events but I can honestly say nothing will live up to what I witnessed first hand at US Cellular field on Sunday night (and Saturday night).  People have been saying to me 'Wasn't it cold and rainy?  It was in the low-40's, wasn't it?'  It could have been 5 degrees or 95 degrees and it wouldn't have mattered. 

Game 3 is Tuesday night at Houston's Minute Maid Park.  Roy Oswalt of Houston faces off against the Jon Garland of the Sox.  Oswalt is 3-0 this postseason and just itching for his chance to shut down the Sox.  Garland is 1-0 in the postseason.  In Game 3 of the ALCS you'll remember Garland gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in the complete game win.