In Game 2, ignited by a two-run RBI single from Manny Ramirez, the Red Sox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but the White Sox put up five unanswered runs in the bottom of the fifth, capped off by a three-run home run from Tadahito Iguchi, to take a 2–0 series lead headed to Boston.
Game 3 remained tied until the top of the sixth when Konerko homered again to put the White Sox in the lead for good.
The Red Sox returned to the postseason in 2007 and won the World Series over the Cinderella Colorado Rockies in a sweep.
The Yankees’ offense got to AL Cy Young winner Bartolo Colón early as they stole Game 1 in Anaheim.
Game 1 was taken by the Cardinals, in part thanks to a home run from Jim Edmonds and a grand slam from Reggie Sanders.
Mark Mulder pitched six solid innings as the Cardinals won 6-2 to take a 2-0 series lead headed to San Diego.
Andy Pettitte pitched seven solid innings despite surrendering five runs as the Astros prevailed in an offensive slugfest in Game 1.
In Game 2, John Smoltz would pitch seven solid innings as the Braves blew out the Astros to even the series headed to Houston.
Adam LaRoche and Lance Berkman traded grand slams, and Brad Ausmus hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to force what would be nine extra innings.
This was also the last time a Chicago-based MLB team won a league pennant until 2016, when the White Sox’s crosstown rivals in the Chicago Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games en route to winning the World Series.
The Angels returned to the ALCS in 2009, but fell to the eventual World Series champion New York Yankees in six games.
However, the Astros would clinch the pennant in Game 6 thanks to a solid pitching performance from Roy Oswalt, who was named NLCS MVP.
The Astros tied the game in the top of the ninth thanks to a base hit from José Vizcaíno which scored two runs.
However, the White Sox prevailed in the bottom of the ninth, as Astros' closer Brad Lidge gave up a walk-off home run to Scott Podsednik.
Then, after seven scoreless innings in Game 4, Chicago's Jermaine Dye drove in Willie Harris to take a 1–0 lead, which the White Sox would not relinquish as they closed out the Astros in the ninth to secure their first title in 88 years.
After their World Series victory, the White Sox entered a slump as they only made the postseason three more times, and in 2024, the team set a mark of baseball futility by losing an MLB-record 121 games.
They returned to the postseason in 2015, but lost to the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals in five games in the ALDS.