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.
"So for this year, the expectations were very, very low. The bar was not set too high," said White Sox fan Dom Bertucci, "and just to kind of come into the year with really low stakes, and to kind of shock everybody in MLB, in the baseball world and for us South Side fans, it has been truly, truly a fantastic season — one that I will remember forever."
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."
Now White Sox merchandise is flying off the shelves at Grandstand in Bridgeport.
"We're blessed and we're going to soak in it as long as we can, because we don't know what next year will bring," said owner Stephanie Ganal. "So we're going to enjoy each inning, each pitch, every moment of every game, little by little."
Ganal said this family business has been in the neighborhood for 40 years and it's safe to say every member is a Sox fan.
"Our family is true blood White Sox fans," she said. "Like, there is maybe a couple of married-in Cubs fans. We don't know how they got there but we still let them come to all the family events."
Craig Kowitt said he came to Grandstand for a specific hoodie he saw some players wearing during their celebration after the game Wednesday night.
"This was the on field, guys in the dugout, managers; this is what they were wearing yesterday. This is what they're wearing during the playoffs. I mean I have plenty of hoodies and plenty of pullovers," he said.
Fans are so excited, some physically came to Rate Field to buy tickets at the box office, only to be met by a sign telling them to buy tickets online.
"I'm here so early because I looked on Gametime, Stubhub and all of the other sites and I kinda don't want to pay all of those fees. So I'm just going to come straight to the source and try to get my tickets early," said Bertucci.
Going straight to the source won't help right now, as a message on the Sox's website for both Wednesday and Thursday's game proclaims they are sold out.
Inside Rate Field, a White Sox tarp to covers the field after a steady rain and a sign says, "ALDS Bound."
"As disappointing as it was to not win the division, the next goal was to give this fanbase, which supported the White Sox so well through some really hard years to give them a home post season game. Next Wednesday the White Sox are coming home to Chicago," said Brooks Boyer, chief revenue and marketing officer for the White Sox.
The Sox received a letter of support from one of their most famous fans, Pope Leo XIV. Former President Barack Obama also issued a statement of congratulations to the White Sox on social media, and added, "Let's keep it going."
Back when Obama was one of Illinois' U.S. senators, he threw out the first pitch before game two of the National League Championship Series during the White Sox's 2005 World Series run.
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.
