El Duque with a dagger: In a postseason filled with memorable pitching performances, Hernandez’s in Game 3 of the 2005 ALDS was the best. (@WhiteSox)
2001 — White Sox All-Star outfielder Magglio Ordoñez became the first player in American League history to have a season with a .300 average, 40 doubles, 30 home runs, 100 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. He doubled against the Minnesota Twins for his 40th of the season — and the milestone.
2005 — At Fenway Park, the White Sox won their first postseason series of any kind since 1917 by beating Boston, 5-3, to sweep the ALDS in three games. Paul Konerko’s two-run home run gave the Sox some breathing room — and then pitcher Orlando Hernandez saved the game. Entering a bases-loaded, no-out, one-run lead situation in the sixth inning, El Duque got two pop outs and a strikeout. It was an amazing performance.
Actor (final credit: murdered by Albert Einstein in "Carnage Hall"), musician (Ethnocentric Republicans), and Nerf hoops champion, Wiffleball aficionado and onetime bilingual kindergarten teacher, Brett Ballantini also writes about baseball, basketball and sometimes hockey, publishing at the NBA, MLB, NHL, and for Slam, Hoop, Sporting News, the Athletic, and others. He was CSN Chicago’s Blackhawks beat writer for their first Stanley Cup season of 2009-10, and took over the White Sox beat after that. He currently is the editor-in-chief of South Side Hit Pen and managing editor of SB Nation's South Side Sox. He also wrote a book about Ozzie Guillén but is running out of space, so follow him on Twitter @BrettBallantini and he'll probably tell you even more about himself than you ever wanted to know.
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8 thoughts on “Today in White Sox History: October 7”
Definitely one of my favorite TV sports watching moments ever. I was with my mom and my wife watching El Duque’s inning, talking on the phone with my sister, driving through Georgia at the time and unable to watch. That sequence was so improbable.
I see a lot of people mentioning how this was the moment folks knew it was a special season. For me, I just wanted the White Sox to win ONE daggone playoff series. But sweeping the defending champs, in their house, with a crazy escape act from a “non-reliever,” you had to start feeling that the sun was going to shine brightly on the White Sox all October long.
South Side Hit Pen 
Only 88 years in the waiting
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2005 was so much fun!
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Hmmm, outmanaged by another manager. Some things never change!
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Whoops, reply fial
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Definitely one of my favorite TV sports watching moments ever. I was with my mom and my wife watching El Duque’s inning, talking on the phone with my sister, driving through Georgia at the time and unable to watch. That sequence was so improbable.
I see a lot of people mentioning how this was the moment folks knew it was a special season. For me, I just wanted the White Sox to win ONE daggone playoff series. But sweeping the defending champs, in their house, with a crazy escape act from a “non-reliever,” you had to start feeling that the sun was going to shine brightly on the White Sox all October long.
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I could watch those two innings all day long. El Duque will always have a special place in my lurkin’ heart.
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I bought the DVD set. I watch is the inning in Boston, and Paulie’s grand slam, most of all.
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2019 – The Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars post the White Sox’ next left-handed power hitting right fielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo.
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