2005 Major League Baseball postseason

2005 Major League Baseball postseason
Tournament details
DatesOctober 4–26, 2005[1]
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsChicago White Sox
(3rd title)
Runner-upHouston Astros
(1st World Series appearance)
Tournament statistics
MVPJermaine Dye
(CHW)
← 2004
2006 →

The 2005 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2005 season. The winners of the League Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.

In the American League, the New York Yankees returned for the eleventh straight year, the Boston Red Sox returned for the third year in a row, the now-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim made their third appearance in the past four years, and the Chicago White Sox returned for the second time in six years.

In the National League, the Atlanta Braves made their fourteenth straight postseason appearance, the San Diego Padres returned for the first time since 1998, the St. Louis Cardinals returned for the fifth time in six years, and the Houston Astros returned for the third time in five years.

The postseason began on October 4, 2005, and ended on October 26, 2005, with the White Sox sweeping the Astros in the 2005 World Series. It was Chicago's first World Series title since 1917, which marked the end of the Curse of the Black Sox.

Playoff seeds

The following teams qualified for the postseason:

American League Teams National League Teams

American League

  1. Chicago White Sox – 99–63, AL Central champions[2]
  2. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 95–67, AL West champions (6–4 head-to-head record vs. NYY)[3]
  3. New York Yankees – 95–67, AL East champions (4–6 head-to-head record vs. LAA; 10–9 head-to-head record vs. BOS)[4]
  4. Boston Red Sox – 95–67 (9–10 head-to-head record vs. NYY)[5]

National League

  1. St. Louis Cardinals – 100–62, NL Central champions[6]
  2. Atlanta Braves – 90–72, NL East champions[7]
  3. San Diego Padres – 82–80, NL West champions[8]
  4. Houston Astros – 89–73[9]

Playoff bracket

Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS)		League Championship Series
(NLCS, ALCS)		World Series
1Chicago White Sox1455
4Boston243
1Chicago White Sox22*586
American League
2LA Angels31223
2LA Angels251125
3NY Yankees43733
AL1Chicago White Sox57*7141
NL4Houston3650
1St. Louis867
3San Diego524
1St. Louis513151
National League
4Houston344245
2Atlanta5736
4Houston1017718*

*Denotes walk-off

Note: Two teams in the same division could not meet in the division series.

American League Division Series

Main article: 2005 American League Division Series

(1) Chicago White Sox vs. (4) Boston Red Sox

Chicago won the series, 3–0.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 4 Boston Red Sox – 2, Chicago White Sox – 14 U.S. Cellular Field 2:56 40,717[10] 
2 October 5 Boston Red Sox – 4, Chicago White Sox – 5 U.S. Cellular Field 2:29 40,799[11] 
3 October 7 Chicago White Sox – 5, Boston Red Sox – 3 Fenway Park 3:28 35,496[12]

The White Sox swept the defending World Series champion Red Sox to return to the ALCS for the first time since 1993. It was the first playoff series win for the White Sox since the 1917 World Series.

In Game 1, four different players - A. J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Juan Uribe, and Scott Podsednik - all homered for the White Sox as they blew out the Red Sox. 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.

To date, this remains the White Sox’s only victory in the ALDS. The Red Sox returned to the postseason in 2007 and won the World Series over the Cinderella Colorado Rockies in a sweep.

(2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. (3) New York Yankees

Los Angeles won the series, 3–2.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 4 New York Yankees – 4, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 2:59 45,142[13] 
2 October 5 New York Yankees – 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 5 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 3:05 45,150[14] 
3 October 7 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 11, New York Yankees – 7 Yankee Stadium (I) 4:00 56,277[15] 
4 October 9† Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2, New York Yankees – 3 Yankee Stadium (I) 3:13 56,226[16] 
5 October 10 New York Yankees – 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 5 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 3:29 45,133[17]

†: Game was postponed due to rain on October 8

This was the second postseason meeting between the Yankees and Angels. The Angels defeated the Yankees in five games to return to the ALCS for the second time in five years.

The Yankees’ offense got to AL Cy Young winner Bartolo Colón early as they stole Game 1 in Anaheim. In Game 2, the Yankees jumped out to yet another early lead, but the Angels rallied with a 5–1 run in between the fifth and eighth innings in part thanks to home runs from Juan Rivera and Bengie Molina to even the series headed to the Bronx. Game 3 was an offensive shootout that was won by Angels 11–7 to take the series lead. In Game 4, the Angels jumped out to a 2–0 lead in the top of the sixth, but the Yankees rallied with three unanswered runs thanks to RBI singles from Derek Jeter and Rubén Sierra to force a decisive fifth game back in Anaheim. However, the Angels held on as they came from behind once again to win and advance.

The Angels and Yankees would meet again in the ALCS in 2009, which was won by the Yankees en route to a World Series title.

National League Division Series

Main article: 2005 National League Division Series

(1) St. Louis Cardinals vs. (3) San Diego Padres

St. Louis won the series, 3–0.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 4 San Diego Padres – 5, St. Louis Cardinals – 8 Busch Stadium (II) 2:57 52,349[18] 
2 October 6 San Diego Padres – 2, St. Louis Cardinals – 6 Busch Stadium (II) 2:54 52,599[19] 
3 October 8 St. Louis Cardinals – 7, San Diego Padres – 4 PETCO Park 3:07 45,093[20]

This was the first postseason meeting between these two teams since 1996. The Cardinals swept the Padres once again to return to the NLCS for the second year in a row.

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. In Game 3, the Cardinals jumped out to a big lead early and held it to win 7-4 and complete the sweep.

Both teams would meet again in the NLDS the next year and in the Wild Card series in 2020, with the Cardinals winning the former and the Padres winning the latter.

(2) Atlanta Braves vs. (4) Houston Astros

Houston won the series, 3–1.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 5 Houston Astros – 10, Atlanta Braves – 5 Turner Field 3:11 40,590[21] 
2 October 6 Houston Astros – 1, Atlanta Braves – 7 Turner Field 2:52 46,181[22] 
3 October 8 Atlanta Braves – 3, Houston Astros – 7 Minute Maid Park 2:50 43,759[23] 
4 October 9 Atlanta Braves – 6, Houston Astros – 7 (18) Minute Maid Park 5:50 43,413[24]

In the fifth postseason meeting between these two teams, the Astros once again defeated the Braves to advance to the NLCS for the second year in a row.

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. Roy Oswalt went seven innings for the Astros as they won 7-3 to regain the series lead. Game 4 was the most memorable contest of the series - it was an offensive shootout between both teams. 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. However, the Astros prevailed in the bottom of the eighteenth thanks to a walk-off solo home run from Chris Burke. Game 5 was at the time the longest game in postseason history, both in terms of time and number of innings played. The eighteen inning record of Game 4 was broken (by 2⁄3 of an inning) by Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS, and the time record of five hours and fifty minutes was broken by Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, which lasted seven hours and twenty minutes.

The loss to the Astros in the NLDS marked the end of the Braves’ postseason appearance streak, which started in 1991. Since the start of the MLB Postseason playoff tournament in 1969, no team has currently matched the Braves’ 14-year streak of consecutive postseason appearances.

The Braves and Astros would meet again in the 2021 World Series, which the Braves won in six games.

American League Championship Series

Main article: 2005 American League Championship Series

(1) Chicago White Sox vs. (2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Chicago won the series, 4–1.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 11 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 3, Chicago White Sox – 2 U.S. Cellular Field 2:47 40,659[25] 
2 October 12 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 1, Chicago White Sox – 2 U.S. Cellular Field 2:34 41,013[26] 
3 October 14 Chicago White Sox – 5, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 2:42 44,725[27] 
4 October 15 Chicago White Sox – 8, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 2:46 44,857[28] 
5 October 16 Chicago White Sox – 6, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 3 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 3:11 44,712[29]

The White Sox defeated the Angels in five games to return to the World Series for the first time since 1959.

In Chicago, the Angels stole Game 1, while in Game 2, the White Sox narrowly prevailed thanks to a complete game performance by Mark Buehrle. When the series moved to Anaheim, Jon Garland pitched another complete game for the White Sox, securing a 5–2 win to go up 2–1 in the series. Freddy Garcia pitched Chicago's third straight complete game in Game 4, which the White Sox won in a blowout, 8–2, to go up 3–1 in the series. Then, in Game 5, José Contreras pitched a fourth straight complete game in a 6–3 victory to secure the pennant. The White Sox became the second team in MLB history to pitch four straight complete games in the postseason; the only other team to do so being their cross-town rivals in the Chicago Cubs, who first accomplished that feat in the 1907 World Series.

As of 2025, this is the last time the White Sox won the AL pennant. 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.

National League Championship Series

Main article: 2005 National League Championship Series

(1) St. Louis Cardinals vs. (4) Houston Astros

Houston won the series, 4–2.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 12 Houston Astros – 3, St. Louis Cardinals – 5 Busch Stadium (II) 2:29 52,332[30] 
2 October 13 Houston Astros – 4, St. Louis Cardinals – 1 Busch Stadium (II) 3:03 52,358[31] 
3 October 15 St. Louis Cardinals – 3, Houston Astros – 4 Minute Maid Park 3:00 42,823[32] 
4 October 16 St. Louis Cardinals – 1, Houston Astros – 2 Minute Maid Park 3:11 43,010[33] 
5 October 17 St. Louis Cardinals – 5, Houston Astros – 4 Minute Maid Park 3:19 43,470[34] 
6 October 19 Houston Astros – 5, St. Louis Cardinals – 1 Busch Stadium (II) 2:53 52,438[35]

This was a rematch of the previous year's NLCS, which the Cardinals won in seven games. The Astros defeated the Cardinals in six games to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Both teams split the first two games in St. Louis. When the series moved to Houston, the Astros took Games 3 and 4 by one run each to go up 3–1 in the series. In Game 5, Albert Pujols hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to give the Cardinals a narrow one run win, sending the series back to St. Louis. However, the Astros would clinch the pennant in Game 6 thanks to a solid pitching performance from Roy Oswalt, who was named NLCS MVP. Game 6 was the last game ever played at Busch Memorial Stadium.

This would be the last playoff series win by the Astros as a member of the National League, as in 2013 they would join the American League. Four years later, they would win the 2017 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2005 World Series

Main article: 2005 World Series

(AL1) Chicago White Sox vs. (NL4) Houston Astros

Chicago (AL) won the series, 4–0.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 22 Houston Astros – 3, Chicago White Sox – 5 U.S. Cellular Field 3:13 41,206[36] 
2 October 23 Houston Astros – 6, Chicago White Sox – 7 U.S. Cellular Field 3:11 41,432[37] 
3 October 25 Chicago White Sox – 7, Houston Astros – 5 (14) Minute Maid Park 5:41 42,848[38] 
4 October 26 Chicago White Sox – 1, Houston Astros – 0 Minute Maid Park 3:20 42,936[39]

This was the first postseason meeting between the White Sox and Astros, and the first World Series ever played in the state of Texas. The White Sox swept the Astros to win their first World Series title since 1917, ending the Curse of the Black Sox.

Even though this World Series ended in a sweep, all four games were decided by two runs or less. The White Sox took Game 1 by a narrow 5–3 score, a game which was notable for Roger Clemens' shortest World Series start, which lasted two innings and 53 pitches due to a sore hamstring. In Game 2, the Astros possessed a 4–2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, until Chicago's Paul Konerko hit a grand slam to put the White Sox in the lead. 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. In Game 3, the Astros held a 4–0 lead after four innings of play, however the White Sox rallied with a 5-run fifth inning to take the lead. The Astros tied the game in the bottom of the eighth, and then remained scoreless until the top of the fourteenth inning, where the White Sox scored two runs to take the lead for good, and closed out the Astros in the bottom of the inning to take a commanding three games to none series lead. 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.

It was the first championship won by a team from Chicago since 1998, when the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls completed their second three-peat. 11 years later, the other Chicago baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, would end the Curse of the Billy Goat by winning the 2016 World Series.

As of 2025, this is the last postseason appearance outside of the Divisional round for the White Sox. 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.

This would be the last postseason appearance by the Astros as a member of the National League, as in 2013 they joined the American League. They returned to the postseason in 2015, but lost to the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals in five games in the ALDS. They would return to the World Series in 2017, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. The White Sox and Astros would meet again in the ALDS in 2021, which was won by the Astros in four games.

Broadcasting

This was the third of four years that Division Series games aired across ESPN, ESPN2, and Fox. Fox then aired both League Championship Series and the World Series.

References

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  2. ^ "2005 Chicago White Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "2005 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "2005 New York Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  5. ^ "2005 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  6. ^ "2005 St. Louis Cardinals Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ^ "2005 Atlanta Braves Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "2005 San Diego Padres Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "2005 Houston Astros statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. ^ "2005 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Chicago White Sox - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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  13. ^ "2005 ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  14. ^ "2005 ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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  16. ^ "2005 ALDS - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. New York Yankees - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "2005 ALDS - New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Game 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "2005 NLDS - San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  19. ^ "2005 NLDS - San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "2005 NLDS - St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  21. ^ "2005 NLDS - Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  22. ^ "2005 NLDS - Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  23. ^ "2005 NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "2005 NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  25. ^ "2005 ALCS Game 1 – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Chicago White Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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  28. ^ "2005 ALCS Game 4 – Chicago White Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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  30. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 1 - Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  31. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 2 - Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  32. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 3 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  33. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 4 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  34. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 5 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Houston Astros". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  35. ^ "2005 NLCS Game 6 - Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  36. ^ "2005 World Series Game 1 – Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  37. ^ "2005 World Series Game 2 – Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  38. ^ "2005 World Series Game 3 – Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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