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 White Sox won the series four games to three to become the American League champions, and defeated the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1994 World Series. (simulation)
Game summaries
Game 1, Tuesday, October 11 Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
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. Chicago 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 Chicago. They would retire the side in order to close out the game.
Game 2, Wednesday, October 12 Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
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 Chicago a 2-1 lead. Once again New York 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 New York 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, Friday, October 14 Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
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 Chicago 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 New York 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 New York a 7-2 win.
Game 4, Saturday, October 15 Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
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 Chicago a 3-1 lead. New York 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 New York a 4-3 lead. In the seventh inning, Julio Franco would hit a three run home run down the leftfield line to give Chicago a 6-4 lead. Roberto Hernandez would retire the side in the ninth inning for Chicago to save the game and get the 6-4 win to tie the series at 2-2.
Game 5, Sunday, October 16 Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
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 Robin Ventura into left field in the second inning to make it 1-0. New York would get two RBIs in the fourth and fifth innings by Pat Kelly and Mike Stanley respectively to take the lead 2-1. The lead would not last long as Chicago would have a big inning in the bottom half of the fifth inning. It started with Ron Karkovice hitting a two run home run into right field, and then Tim Raines and Julio Franco each getting RBIs as Chicago would take the lead 6-2. They would later add an insurance run in the eighth inning on a bases loaded walk to make it 7-2. Roberto Hernandez came on to the mound in the ninth inning to close things out and get the save for Chicago.
Game 6, Tuesday, October 18 Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
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 an RBI by Wade Boggs and a single by Bernie Williams driving in a run made it a 2-0 lead early on. Chicago would score three runs in the fourth inning on a double by Frank Thomas, a single by Robin Ventura, and an RBI by Ron Karkovice to give Chicago a 3-2 lead. New York would tie the game in the fifth inning on a double by Paul O'Neill to make it 3-3. O'Neill would hit a three run home run into right field in the seventh inning to give New York a 6-3 lead. Ventura would hit a solo home run into right field to make it 6-4, but that was all they could get as Steve Howe came on the mound to get the save and make it a 3-3 series.
Game 7, Wednesday, October 19 Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
In Game 7, it was Alex Fernandez facing off against Melido Perez. New York would get on the board first in the fourth inning with an RBI by Bernie Williams and Pat Kelly to make it a 2-0 lead. Chicago would respond in the fifth inning with a home run by Darrin Jackson into center field to make it a 2-1 game. In the sixth inning, a double by Ron Karkovice would drive in two runs to give Chicago a 3-2 lead. After Tim Raines hit a single in the seventh inning, Frank Thomas hit a double to drive in a run and make it a 4-2 lead for Chicago. Later that inning, Paul O'Neill would hit a solo home run into left field to make it a 4-3 game. Chicago would respond in the eighth inning with a solo home run by Robin Ventura down the rightfield line to make it 5-3. Roberto Hernandez would come on the mound to get the save and win the series. It was the first pennant for Chicago since 1959. Robin Ventura was named the MVP of the series.
Series quotes "Groundball over to second, the throw to first, in time. For the first time in thirty five years, the White Sox have won the pennant." -Bob Costas calling the final out of Game 7 of the ALCS between the White Sox and Yankees.