Just one day after securing their first playoff win since 1983 in blowout fashion, the White Sox returned to U.S. Cellular Field to take on the defending champs in Game 2. Mark Buehrle took the mound on the heels of an All-Star season where he won 16 games and posted a career-best 3.12 ERA. For the Red Sox, 42 year-old veteran and three-time All-Star David Wells took the hill, bringing loads of postseason experience into the game.
Contrary to game 1, it was the Red Sox bats that got off to the hot start in game 2. A leadoff single by Johnny Damon and a double by Edgar Renteria set the stage for Manny Ramirez. Ramirez’s two-run single saddled Buehrle with a pair of early runs and got the Red Sox off to a 2-0 start. Ramirez came up in a very similar situation in the third, but this time, Ozzie Guillen elected to put Ramirez on base and instead face Jason Varitek. Varitek made Guillen pay for the decision with a run-scoring single. Another run came across on a groundout, and Boston took a 4-0 lead into the fifth.
White Sox fans will never forget 2005 ALDS Game 2's turning point
The White Sox were able to chip away at the lead on an RBI double by Aaron Roward and an RBI single by Joe Crede. Red Sox starter David Wells then should’ve been out of the inning, as a Juan Uribe roller to second base should’ve been an inning-ending double play. Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino took his eyes off the ball and didn’t scoop it, giving the White Sox another chance. Wells was able to retire Scott Podsednik, but infielder Tadahito Iguchi made it hurt, launching a three-run homer into the White Sox bullpen and giving the Sox a 5-4 lead. The rest of the story was about pitching. Buehrle settled down after a tough beginning to get the White Sox through seven. Needing six outs to take a commanding 2-0 series lead, the White Sox turned to closer Bobby Jenks.
Jenks got through the eighth fairly easily, but a Graffanino double with one out in the ninth put him on the ropes. Jenks was able to get Johnny Damon to pop out and ended the game on a Renteria groundout to secure the victory and stake the White Sox to a 2-0 series lead.
The series would now head to Boston, where the White Sox just needed one win to punch a ticket to the ALCS. With Boston fresh off a historic comeback in 2004, though, the series was far from over.