USA TODAY International Edition
Sox a win away after 14 innings
The Chicago White Sox, playing the longest World Series game since 1916, are a win from matching 1917 history.
The White Sox defeated the Houston Astros 7- 5 in 14 innings in Game 3 Tuesday night to take a three games- to- none lead in Series, moving within one victory of their C rst world championship in 88 years. The 5- hour, 41- minute game, which ended around 2: 15 ET Wednesday morning, tied the record for most innings in a World Series ( 1916, Game 2, Boston Red Sox 2, Brooklyn Robins 1).
The difference in Game 3 came from an unexpected group of players known as “ Group 4.” Group 4 refers to the White Sox’ quartet of in C elders Geoff Blum, Willie Harris, Pedro Ozuna and catcher Chris Widger, the C nal group to take their swings in batting practice.
Blum, the superhero of the group, won the game in only his second postseason at- bat this October and the C rst in the series with a shocking solo home run. “ I d idn’t k now if I g ot i t high enough. I knew I hit it pretty hard,” Blum told Fox television.
The backup third baseman and former Astro waited patiently before entering as part of a double switch in the 13th inning. He made history. “ It’s the stuff dreams are made of,” he said.
And a long time coming since he contributed to the cause. It was his C rst atbat in 21 days, his C rst hit in 24 days, his C rst RBI in 56 days.
Widger, the backup to A. J. Pierzynski, walked with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the 14th inning to give the White Sox a two- run cushion.
The Astros jumped out to a 4-0 lead — capped by a solo home run by Jason Lane that TV replays indicated should have been in play — before the White Sox exploded for C ve runs in the C fth off Houston starter Roy Oswalt.
Lane again tied the game in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double.
Throughout the postseason, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen rarely had reason to use his bench. He’s had the luxury of excellent starting pitching — four consecutive complete games from his starters during the AL Championship Series — and power hitting from Paul Konerko and Joe Crede.
However, with the series at the National League park and the designated hitter out of the lineup, the opportunities increased for Group 4. Contributing wire reports