which he had gone deep in the first. García joins Jon Garland and Mark Buehrle to give the White Sox a formidable streak of three consecutive complete games. It is the first time a team had pitched three consecutive complete games in the postseason since Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack and Jerry Koosman did it for the New York Mets during the 1973 NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds. October 16: The Chicago White Sox clinch the American League pennant with a 6–3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the ALCS. José Contreras becomes the fourth consecutive White Sox pitcher to throw a complete game, the first time that has happened since the 1956 New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers behind five straight complete games from Whitey Ford, Tom Sturdivant, Don Larsen (who pitched a perfect game), Bob Turley and Johnny Kucks. Paul Konerko is named ALCS MVP. This is the White Sox' first trip to the World Series since 1959. October 19 – In Game Six of the NLCS, the Houston Astros earn their first World Series berth in 44 years of team history with a 5–1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. For the Cardinals, the loss marks the end of the season for the team that led the majors with 100 wins. It also is the final game at Busch Stadium, scheduled to be demolished by a wrecking ball to make room for St. Louis' new ballpark. October 25 – In the first World Series game played in the state of Texas, former Astro Geoff Blum wins the longest game in WS history with a tiebreaking two-out solo home run as the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 7–5 at Minute Maid Park to move within a win of a sweep and their first title since 1917. The 14-inning marathon lasts a total of five hours and 41 minutes. The previous longest game was 4:51 when the New York Yankees beat the New York Mets in 12 innings in Game One in 2000. This matches the longest by innings, a Babe Ruth complete game for the Boston Red Sox against the Brooklyn Robins in Game Two of the 1916 WS (at 2:32). The 43 players used by both teams also are a Series record, as are the combined 17 pitchers and 30 runners left on base. October 26 – In the World Series,