White Sox 7, Astros 5 (14 innings)
No more complaints about the standing room ticket from this corner — plenty of Houston’s high rollers headed for the exits ’round midnight, so I was fortunate to catch the finale from somewhere near the posh pit.
More about this one after I wake up, but suffice to say somebody was seriously outmanaged Tuesday night, and it wasn’t Ozzie.
Chances are, Houston was gonna lose this Series either way, but you can spend all winter wondering why Phil Garner stuck with Roy Oswalt in the 5th inning. Much as we can wonder how a consumate pro like Craig Biggio couldn’t manage to get a bunt down.
Though Guillen’s employ of Dustin Hermanson in the bottom of the 8th seemed questionable (doubly so after Hermanson blew the save), it’s quite a luxury when the last available pitcher out of your bullpen is named Mark Buehlre (as opposed to, say, Ezequiel Astacio).
Heck of a DP turned by Ensberg at the top of the 14th — at that moment, I was pretty certain Houston would find a way to win this one.
That was a long game even through 9 and this east coaster lasted 11, but Ozzie came up aces with the double switch that sent Blum to the plate.
alll too often, it comes down to who makes the first huge mistake in a game of that length. I really thought Astacio got off the hook with that that DP ball that Konerko hit. Geoff F. Blum, who would’ve guessed…