The wildcard playoff series for both the Chicago White Sox and Cubs had some historical resonance this year — the Sox took on the same club they faced in the 2005 World Series, while the Cubs took on the franchise they faced in the 1984 National League Championship Series.
The White Sox won the 2005 World Series. The Cubs did not win the 1984 NLCS. And it so happens that 21 and 42 years later, respectively, the White Sox again beat the Houston Astros to advance in the playoffs while the Cubs lost to the San Diego Padres and were eliminated.
All this happened Wednesday night.
For the White Sox, the victory over the Astros — who switched from the National League to the American League in 2013 — was the first for the team in all of the 21 years since that 2005 World Series victory.
The Sox put up for runs in the first inning, but Houston fought back and cut the lead to one. But in the sixth inning, Chase Meidroth hit a three-run homer that gave the Sox some breathing room.
The Sox won 7-3, sweeping the Astros in two games on the same field where they won the World Series. The win for the Sox came two years after the team set the modern-day record for losses in a season.
“Belief, energy — those are the two things; confidence. You know, we’ve got a young, hungry group, some veteran guys that we lean on. It’s been the same all year,” Meidroth said. “You know, we believe we can win every game.”
For the Cubs, it was a very different night in San Diego, as they just couldn’t get their offense going against the Padres. The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner drove in the only run of the series Wednesday night, and the Padres’ Gavin Sheets, who once played on the South Side, helped end the North Side’s season.
Sheets’ two-run homer extended San Diego’s lead to 4-1, which was the final score. The Padres swept the Cubs in two games and ended the Cubs’ season.
After the loss, manager Craig Counsell spoke with reporters.
“Look, it’s the end of the season — when you’re in this position, you’re going to be disappointed, you’re going to feel unfulfilled, and that’s just dominating everything you feel right now,” he said.
For the White Sox, the postseason continues. Their next game will be Saturday in Cleveland against the Guardians in a best-of-five series.
The first two games will be played in Cleveland, and then the White Sox will bring the energy home to Rate Field next Wednesday, Oct. 7, for Game 3.
