Sox sock it to ’ em

Chicago ends years of futilitywith World Series sweep

HOUSTON — The Chicago White Sox, the second team in the Second City, are No. 1 in the world today.

Manager Ozzie Guillen’s band of scrappers from the South Side scratched out a run in the eighth inning to defeat the Houston Astros 1- 0 Wednesday, sweeping the W orld S eries in f our games and winning their ; rst World Series championship since 1917.

The victory, the White Sox’s 11th in 12 postseason games, completed one of the more impressive postseason runs in baseball history. It matched the 1999 New York Yankees’ 11- 1 run, the best since the playoffs went to three rounds in 1995. In 1976, the Cincinnati Reds swept both their postseason series, going 7-0 to win the championship.

Jermaine Dye, who drove in the only run and went 3- for- 4 Wednesday to raise his Series average to .438, was named Most Valuable Player.

“ I’m sure it won’t hit me ( until) don’t really knowwhen,” Dye said.

Dye broke up the scoreless duel with two outs in the eighth when he grounded a single up the middle off Houston reliever Brad Lidge, scoring Willie Harris, who pinch-hit a single and moved around on a sacri ; ce and groundout.

“ It was only right we manufactured a run tonight to win the ballgame,” out; elder Scott Podsednik, a key acquisition in Chicago’s switch from a power team to a balanced offense, told Fox TV.

Chicago starting pitcher Freddy Garcia continued the White Sox’s domination of Houston hitters Wednesday, pitching seven innings of four- hit shutout ball.

The Astros were held scoreless in the last 15 innings of the Series.

Brandon Backe, the least heralded of the Astros starters, provided Houston with its best starting performance of the Series, shutting out the White Sox through seven innings on ; ve hits.

The 1-0 game was the 24th in Series history, the ; rst since the Yankees defeated the Atlanta Braves in 1996.

The White Sox won their ; nal eight playoff games, tying the postseason record set by Boston last year. And by following the Red Sox’s championship to end more than eight decades of futility, two of baseball’s most famous droughts were wiped out in consecutive years.

The longest championship drought still resides in Chicago: The Cubs last won a World Series in 1908.

By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY It’s party time: White Sox players pile onto the ; eld and each other after securing the ; nal out of Game 4 on Wednesday night to complete a World Series victory.

By Eileen Blass, USA TODAY Champagne shower: Pitcher Mark Buehrle sprays champagne toward White Sox fans remaining in the stands to share in the celebration.