The 1994 World Series matched the Chicago White Sox (98–64) of the American League against the Los Angeles Dodgers season Los Angeles Dodgers (84–78) of the National League. Chicago won the series in seven games. The two teams previously met in the 1959 World Series which was won by Los Angeles in six games in their first world series championship since moving to Los Angeles from Brooklyn. For Los Angeles, this was their first world series appearance since 1988 and their 22nd NL Pennant. For Chicago, this was their first world series appearance since 1959 and their 6th AL Pennant. Also, for Chicago, this was their first world series championship since 1917. Frank Thomas was named the World Series MVP. This was also the third world series in which the home team won each game in the series.
The latter part of the season from August 12 to the World Series was in question due to a looming players strike. The Baseball world wondered if or not the rest of the season was going to continue. MLB eventually made an eleventh hour deal to ensure that there was a full season and the season continued on as planned by the MLB. This was the first season in which there were three divisions in each league (West, Central, East), a wildcard team added to the playoffs, and an additional round in the playoffs as well, which was The Division Series. This format would continue until 2012, when there was an extra wildcard, and an extra one game playoff added to the postseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West. They made it to the series by beating the Houston Astros in four games in the National League Division Series, and the Cincinnati Reds in six games in the National League Championship Series.
Chicago White Sox
The 1994 Chicago White Sox won the newly formed AL Central. They made it to the series by beating the Texas Rangers in three games in the American League Division Series, and the New York Yankees in six games in the American League Championship Series.
Summary
Game 1: October 22, Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Chicago White Sox 3. Comiskey Park, T:2:42, Att:45,862.
Game 2: October 23, Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Chicago White Sox 6. Comiskey Park, T:3:12, Att:46,256.
Game 3: October 25, Chicago White Sox 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 4. Dodger Stadium, T:2:56, Att:56,023.
Game 4: October 26, Chicago White Sox 1, Los Angeles Dodgers 4. Dodger Stadium, T:3:06, Att:56,075.
Game 5: October 27, Chicago White Sox 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 6. Dodger Stadium, T:3:20, Att:56,100.
Game 6: October 29, Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Chicago White Sox 8. Comiskey Park, T:3:16, Att:46,725.
Game 7: October 30, Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Chicago White Sox 4. Comiskey Park, T:3:31, Att:47,102.
Matchups
Game 1
Saturday, October 22, 1994 at Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois.
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 6 1
Chicago 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 X 3 6 0
WP: Jack McDowell (1–0) LP: Ramon Martinez (0–1) SV: Roberto Hernández (1)
The Dodgers would start things off in this series in the top of the second inning, with a Raul Mondesi double to right field to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. Ozzie Guillen would also get a double to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to drive in two runs and give the White Sox a 2-1 lead. Lance Johnson grounded a single down right field to drive in another run and the White Sox took a 3-1 lead. Eric Karros would get a double to center field to get in a run to make it a 3-2 White Sox lead. Roberto Hernandez would get the save and the win for the White sox and take a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2
Sunday, October 23, 1994 at Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 8 0
Chicago 1 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 X 6 12 0
WP: Jason Bere (1–0) LP: Kevin Gross (0–1) SV: Roberto Hernández (2)
Both teams got off to a great start, with an Eric Karros Home run to Left Center field, and then a Ron Karkovice Home run to left field in the first inning. The game would remain tied at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning. The White Sox were able to get the bases loaded, and then Julio Franco grounded a single into left field to bring in two runs to put the White Sox up 3-1. Robin Ventura came to bat next and hit a flyball single to left center field to drive in another run to make it a 4-1 white sox lead. A couple batters later, Karkovice would strike again with a single to drive in another run to make it 5-1 for the White Sox. Later in the game, in the bottom of the 7th inning, Frank Thomas would help add on another run with a single to make it 6-1 White Sox. The Dodgers attempted to make a come back with a Tim Wallach Double in the top of the 8th inning to drive in two runs to make it a 6-3 lead for the White Sox. However, that would be the only runs they would be able to get as Roberto Hernandez came into the game to get the save and helped the White Sox take a 2-0 series lead heading to Los Angeles.
Game 3
Tuesday, October 25, 1994 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Chicago 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 0
Los Angeles 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 X 4 7 0
WP: Pedro Astacio (1-0) LP: Wilson Alvarez (0-1) SV: Todd Worrell (1)
The White Sox would strike first in this game as Lance Johnson hit a single to center to drive in the first run of the game to give the White Sox an early 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Later in that inning, Frank Thomas would come up and get a double to left center to take a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Mike Piazza and Raul Mondesi hit back to back singles to center and left center respectively to help the Dodgers make a comeback to make the score 3-2 White Sox. In the bottom of the 7th inning, Tim Wallach came on and hit a solo home run to center field to tie the game at 3-3. A Single by Henry Rodriguez in the bottom of the 8th inning would give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. Todd Worrell came in for the save to give the Dodgers the win and make it a White Sox 2-1 series lead.
Game 4
Wednesday, October 26, 1994 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Chicago 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0
Los Angeles 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 X 4 6 0
WP: Ramon Martinez (1-1) LP: Jack McDowell (1-1) SV: Todd Worrell (2)
Eric Karros would start things off for the Dodgers in the bottom of the second inning by hitting a double down left field to drive in a run and give them an early 1-0 lead. Frank Thomas would hit a double into left field to tie the game at 1-1. Mike Piazza got a triple into right field to re take the lead 2-1 for the Dodgers in the bottom of the fifth inning. A single for Tim Wallach would add on another run in the next inning to build up on their lead to make it 3-1 Dodgers. Once again, Eric Karros would deliver again, as he hit a solo home run to left center field to make it a 4-1 lead for the Dodgers. Todd Worrell came in for the save and helped tie the series up at 2-2.
Game 5
Thursday, October 27, 1994 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Chicago 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 12 0
Los Angeles 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 X 6 12 0
WP: Kevin Gross (1-1) LP: Jason Bere (1-1) SV: Todd Worrell (3)
The Dodgers were able to take the advantage right from the start by getting the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning. A walk helped the Dodgers to take a 1-0 lead early on. Mitch Webster would then come on and hit a flyball single to right field to drive in two runs and give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. The White Sox would score in the next two innings, with a Darrin Jackson Double to center field to make it a 3-1 Dodgers lead in the top of the second inning, and a Frank Thomas solo home run to make it a 3-2 Dodgers lead in the top of the third inning. The White Sox had things going for them in the top of the fifth, with a Tim Raines Double and a Frank Thomas single to take a 5-3 lead for the White Sox. It would not last long, however, as Mitch Webster would strike again and deliver a three run home run to get the lead back 6-5 for the Dodgers. The score would remain the same through the rest of the game as Todd Worrell came in to get the save and help the Dodgers take a 3-2 series lead going back to Chicago.
Game 6
Saturday, October 29, 1994 at Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 7 0
Chicago 2 0 1 1 0 2 0 2 X 8 11 0
WP: Wilson Alvarez (1-1) LP: Pedro Astacio (1-1) SV: Roberto Hernandez (3)
Both teams would start to put runs on the board early. Mike Piazza started off with a double to center field to drive in a run and make it 1-0 Dodgers. Mitch Webster would get a single to drive in another run to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. The White Sox would also have a great start as well, with singles by Frank Thomas and Julio Franco to tie up the game at 2-2. A single by Piazza, a double by Wallach, and another single by Karros would get the Dodgers three runs to make it a 5-2 lead for the Dodgers. Joey Cora would get a single to right field make it 5-3 Dodgers. The comeback would continue with a Tim Raines double to center field to make it 5-4 Dodgers. Frank Thomas got a triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to drive in two runs and gave the White Sox a 6-5 lead. A Robin Ventura double and a Darrin Jackson single made it a 8-5 lead for the White Sox. Roberto Hernandez came in to get the save and tie the series up at 3-3.
Game 7
Sunday, October 30, 1994 at Comiskey Park (II) in Chicago, Illinois
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 0
Chicago 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 X 4 10 1
WP: Jack McDowell (2-1) LP: Ramon Martinez (1-2) SV: Roberto Hernandez (4)
Ron Karkovice would start things off in the bottom of the first inning by hitting a line drive single to center field to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead. A Joey Cora single into right center field later in the inning would make it a 2-0 White Sox lead. A Henry Rodriguez single in the top of the third inning would make it a 2-1 lead for the White Sox, with Mike Piazza later in the inning hitting a double to left center to tie the game at 2-2. Frank Thomas would deliver a home run to right center field to give the White Sox a 3-2 lead. Julio Franco helped add on another run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to left center to make it a 4-2 lead for the White Sox. Roberto Hernandez came in for the series winning save, as a groundball by Mike Piazza went to Hernandez and threw the ball to Thomas on first base for the final out of the series to help the White Sox win the World Series in seven games. With the 4-3 series win, it was their first world series championship in 77 years. This was the third world series in which the home team won each game.
Aftermath
As of 2013, this is the most recent world series appearance for the Dodgers. They would win the NL West again next season in 1995, but lost to the Cincinnati Reds in three games in the NLDS. They also made the playoffs as a wildcard in 1996, but once again they would lose in three games, this time to the Atlanta Braves. They would not win another playoff game until 2004, when they won the NL West. They would lose in four games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series. In 2006, they made it as a wildcard, but lost in three games to the New York Mets in the Division Series. They did not win another playoff series until 2008, when they won the NL West. They would defeat the Chicago Cubs in three games in the Division Series, but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the Championship Series. They won the NL West again the next season in 2009, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in three games in the division series, but once again losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the Championship Series.
For Chicago, this was their first world series championship since 1917. However, they would miss the playoffs for the next five years. In 2000, they won the AL Central. They would go on to lose to the Seattle Mariners in three games in the Division Series. In 2005, they won the AL Central. They would go on a magical run through the playoffs that year, defeating the Boston Red Sox in three games in the division series, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in five games in the Championship Series, and the Houston Astros in the 2005 World series in four games. In 2008, they won the AL Central after winning a one game playoff for the division against Minnesota. They would go on to lose to the Tampa Bay Rays in four games in the division series.
Composite Line Score
1994 World Series: Chicago White Sox over Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 3
Linescore
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles 6 2 5 0 3 4 2 4 0 26 54 1
Chicago 5 1 2 7 8 3 2 2 0 30 62 1
Total Attendance: 354,143 Average Attendance: 50,981
Winning Player's Share: $167,277.89 Losing Player's Share: $106,584.08
Broadcasting
ABC televised the world series this year. Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Tim McCarver (color commentary), called the action on ABC. Serving as field reporters for ABC were Jim Palmer (in the dodgers dugout) and Lesley Visser (in the White Sox dugout)
The national radio broadcast was provided by CBS, with Vin Scully and Jeff Torborg on the call. Locally, the series was called on KNX (AM) in Los Angeles. In Chicago, the series was called on WBBM (AM).