Flashback #59: White Sox Clinch AL Central (2005)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

September 29, 2005 - White Sox clinch AL Central

The 2005 season belonged to the White Sox from Day 1.

Chicago won its first two games of the season and from that point on was never in second place in the American League Central Division.

After the first 10 games of the season, the White Sox owned a record of 7-3 before winning 19 of their next 24 games. The early streak included two eight-game winning streaks.

At the end of April, the White Sox had amassed a record of 17-7. The team stuck to that hot pace, extending their divisional lead to a season-high 15 games by the beginning of August.

With 24 games to play in the 2005 season, Chicago owned a commanding 9.5 game lead in the AL Central.

The White Sox looked poised to take home their first AL Central crown since the 2000 season. With the second-place Indians well behind, a postseason berth seemed eminent.

That's when the White Sox lost 10-of-14 games to see their 9.5-game lead shrink to just 1.5 games. The 1.5 game lead was the club's smallest divisional lead since April 18.

Just as it looked like the season was falling apart, the White Sox rebounded, winning eight of their last 10 games, clinching the division in Detroit with three games to play.

"That team worked so hard all year long, they deserve to do what they're doing now," manager Ozzie Guillen said after the division-clinching celebration. "Finally, they can say, 'We did it!' A lot of teams made it tough on us. It wasn't easy."

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »