The 1994 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 1994 American League playoffs, matched the Central Division champion Chicago White Sox against the East Division champion New York Yankees. The Yankees had the home field advantage. The two teams were victorious in the AL Division Series (ALDS), with the Yankees defeating the wild card Cleveland Indians three games to one, and the White Sox defeating the West Division Champion Texas Rangers three games to none. The Yankees won the series four games to two to become the American League champions, and lost to the National League champion Montreal Expos in the 1994 World Series. (simulation)
ALCS MVP: Bernie Williams
Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees Chicago won the series, 4–2. Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 1 October 11 Chicago White Sox – 4, New York Yankees – 2 Yankee Stadium (I) 3:15 56,702 2 October 12 Chicago White Sox – 2, New York Yankees – 5 Yankee Stadium (I) 2:45 57,246 3 October 14 New York Yankees – 7, Chicago White Sox – 2 Comiskey Park 3:07 46,357 4 October 15 New York Yankees – 4, Chicago White Sox – 6 Comiskey Park 2:53 46,675 5 October 16 New York Yankees – 8, Chicago White Sox – 3 Comiskey Park 3:17 45,612 6 October 18 Chicago White Sox – 1, New York Yankees – 7 Yankee Stadium (I) 3:22 57,121
Wilson Alvarez and Jimmy Key would be the starters for Game 1. Chicago would score a run in the second and third innings from an Ozzie Guillen RBI single, and a Tim Raines solo home run to left field to give them a 2-0 lead. New York would get a two run home run from Bernie Williams into right field in the seventh inning to tie the game at 2-2. The White Sox would get two runs in the ninth inning with another RBI by Ozzie Guillen as the throw home by Bernie Williams came in late, allowing Noberto Martin to score. A wild pitch after that would bring in another run to make it 4-2 for the White Sox. They would retire the side in order to close out the game.
The starters for Game 2 were Jason Bere and Jim Abbott . Chicago would get on the board first with a run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of that inning, New York would get a run on a bases loaded walk to make it a 1-1 game. Tim Raines would get an RBI double in the third inning to give the White Sox a 2-1 lead. Once again the Yankees would come right back as they would get a run in the fourth inning to make it 2-2. In the fifth inning, Bernie Williams hit a two run home run into right field to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead. They would add another run in the sixth inning from a Luis Polonia RBI single to make it 5-2. Steve Howe would come on the mound in the ninth inning and get the save.
Game 3 would feature a matchup between Melido Perez and Alex Fernandez. In the fourth inning, Chicago would get a couple runs from a sacrifice fly by Ron Karkovice, and an error by Wade Boggs from a Routine grounder by Robin Ventura to give them a 2-0 lead. New York would have a big inning in the sixth inning, with Wade Boggs redeeming himself from his fielding error with a two run home run to center field, and RBIs by Pat Kelly and Luis Polonia to give them the lead 4-2. In the next inning, Pat Kelly would get a two RBI single to make it 6-2. Randy Velarde would add on an RBI of his own in the ninth inning to help give the Yankees a 7-2 win.
In Game 4, Scott Kamienecki would face off against Jack McDowell. New York would get on the board first in the second inning with a Bernie Williams solo home run into left center to make it a 1-0 game. Chicago would respond right back in the same inning with a Joey Cora RBI to tie the game at 1-1. Ron Karkovice would hit a two run home run into right center in the fourth inning to give the White Sox a 3-1 lead. The Yankees would get three runs in the fifth inning from an RBI double by Paul O'Neill, and a two run home run by Mike Stanley into left field to give them a 4-3 lead. In the seventh inning, Julio Franco would hit a three run home run down the leftfield line to give the White Sox a 6-4 lead. Roberto Hernandez would retire the side in the ninth inning for the White Sox to save the game and get the 6-4 win to tie the series at 2-2.
Game 5 featured a rematch of Game 1, which was between Jimmy Key and Wilson Alvarez. Chicago would start things off with a solo home run by Frank Thomas in the first inning. New York would score three runs in the second inning off a single by Danny Tartabull and Luis Polonia and another run in the third inning off a single by Randy Velarde to give them a 4-1 lead. Tartabull would score in another run in the fifth inning, while Wade Boggs got an RBI in the sixth inning to increase the lead to 6-1. The White Sox would score two runs in the seventh inning, and the Yankees would do the same in the eighth inning. The Yankees would go on to win the game 8-3.
In Game 6, it would be a rematch of Game 2, featuring Jason Bere and Jim Abbott. New York would get on the board first with a Paul O'Neill solo home run in the first inning, and Danny Tartabull and Luis Polonia driving in a run each to give them a 3-0 lead early. An RBI by Mike Stanley and two bases loaded walks in the fourth inning would make it 6-0. Chicago would score a run in the sixth inning to make the score 6-1. Wade Boggs would drive in a run in the eighth inning to make it 7-1. The Yankees would retire the side in the ninth inning to win the pennant for the first time since 1981.
Series quotes "Groundball to first, Mattingly steps on the bag for the final out. For the first time in thirteen years, the Yankees have won the pennant." -Bob Costas calling the final out of Game 6 of the ALCS between the White Sox and the Yankees.