They finished with a 99–63 record in the regular season and first place in the American League Central by six games over the Cleveland Indians.

After his inaugural season in 2004, in which his club went 83–79 and finished second in the American League Central Division, Guillén approached general manager Kenny Williams.

Guillén wanted more quickness, so speedy Scott Podsednik was brought in to be the number one hitter and to create havoc for opposing pitchers.

Guillén wanted pitching, so Williams got Freddy García, Orlando "El Duque" Hernández, Luis Vizcaíno, Dustin Hermanson, and in July, hard throwing closer Bobby Jenks was brought up from the minor leagues.

Finishing May with a 35–17 record, the Sox, in interleague play, swept both the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, but did lose the other series to the Cubs two games to one.

However, from August 12 through August 23, they lost 8 out of 9 games they played, including a 7-game losing streak and sweeps at the hands of the Boston Red Sox and Twins, while Cleveland, who had been in second place for the majority of the season, suddenly started playing their best baseball of the year and putting pressure on the Sox.

They finished the regular season with a 99–63 record and a 6-game lead over Cleveland, winning their second American League Central title.

[12] The time before that, after their 1993 AL West Division title, the White Sox won two games against the eventual World Series Champion Toronto Blue Jays.

Manager Ozzie Guillén reminded his team not to feel happy just to be in the playoffs, and the White Sox took it to heart.

[13] The White Sox also got another solid performance from starter José Contreras, who went 72⁄3 innings, allowing only two runs, and striking out six.

White Sox ace Mark Buehrle got his chance in this game to turn in a solid postseason performance.

Buehrle was with the White Sox in 2000 for their last playoff run, and pitched 1/3 scoreless inning of relief back then.

However, the Red Sox had come back from three down in the American League Championship the year before on their way to winning the World Series, so no one was taking Boston lightly.

The White Sox headed into Boston, taking on Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez, and David Ortiz, and were confident.

But Paul Konerko, the White Sox' number one run producer the whole season, stepped to the plate in the top of the sixth inning with Jermaine Dye on base.

That prompted manager Ozzie Guillén to bring on Orlando "El Duque" Hernández, who was brought to Chicago for his incredible postseason track record while with the New York Yankees.

Then after Johnny Damon drew a full count from Hernández, El Duque got him to miss, ending the inning[15] and putting the Red Sox down to rest.

With the score tied 1–1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Buehrle getting ready to start the tenth inning, A. J. Pierzynski stepped to the plate.

Joe Crede, after taking two strikes, lined the next pitch from Escobar off the left field wall for a walk-off double.

This complete game marked the first time a team had thrown three straight complete games in a postseason series since the 1973 National League Championship Series when Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, and Jerry Koosman accomplished the feat for the New York Mets,[13] despite Seaver's being a loss.

However, the Angels struck right back with a ground rule double from Chone Figgins and a sacrifice fly from Garret Anderson.

Konerko won the ALCS MVP award[13] as the White Sox looked to win their first World Series since 1917.

The night was special for Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell, two longtime Astros making their first trip to the World Series.

He homered in the inning, and then, in the sixth, he made two diving stops to save runs and keep the White Sox ahead by one.

With the bases loaded, he sent the first pitch he saw from reliever Chad Qualls into the left field bullpen for a 6–4 White Sox lead on a grand slam.

Hitting second in the ninth, Podsednik sent a pitch from Brad Lidge into the right field seats for a walk-off home run, his second homer of the whole season.

After using nine pitchers to the Astros' eight, and playing for 5 hours and 41 minutes, the White Sox were just one win away from clinching their first World Series championship in 88 years.

After moving to third with two outs, Jermaine Dye drove him in with a single up the middle against Brad Lidge, who had given up Scott Posednik's game-winning home run earlier in the series.

After Cliff Polite and Neal Cotts pitched a scoreless eighth, Bobby Jenks came in to close the game out.

He then made the play on a slow, bouncing hit over the head of Jenks to throw out Orlando Palmeiro to win the game and the World Series for the White Sox.