Two outs into Game 1 of the National League Championship Series between the Astros and the Cardinals, LF-S Lance Berkman hit a flyball into centerfield. St. Louis Gold Glove centerfielder Jim Edmonds ran back to make the catch and almost caught the ball shortly before the warning track. However, the ball missed Edmonds' glove and his momentum toppled him over. While Edmonds picked himself up and recovered the ball, Berkman safely reached second. 3B-R Morgan Ensberg then grounded out to end the top of the inning, so the baserunner did not harm the Cardinals.

SS-R David Eckstein led off the bottom of the first with a groundball single into right field. Eckstein remained at first while CF-L Edmonds popped out to second as well as when 1B-R Albert Pujols hit a long flyball to the warning track in left field, where Berkman made the catch. LF-R Reggie Sanders then put St. Louis up 2-0, transporting a pitch into the seats above the Houston bullpen in left field. Cardinals' starter RHP Chris Carpenter went one-two-three through the Houston lineup in the second to bring Houston starter LHP Andy Pettitte quickly back to the mound.

Leading off the bottom of the second, 2B-R Mark Grudzielanek hit a groundball up the middle into centerfield for a single. C-R Yadier Molina flew out to Berkman in left, but 3B-S Abraham Nunez lanced a groundball down the right field line for a single that advanced Grudzielanek to third. Carpenter then nudged a sacrifice bunt a third of the way off the first base line toward the pitcher's mound. Grudzielanek scored and Nunez advanced to second with St. Louis's lead growing to 3-0. Eckstein lined out to first to end the inning before the lead could expand further.

C-R Brad Ausmus led off the top of the third with a line drive single into centerfield. Pettitte bunted, sending the ball hopping just to the right of the mound, but St. Louis threw to first rather than try for a double play, so Ausmus advanced to second. Carpenter then issued 2B-R Craig Biggio a four-pitch walk. Up next, CF-R Willy Taveras drew out his plate appearance to 10 pitches with a series of foul balls and finally walked to first to load the bases. However, the Astros failed to capitalize on the opportunity as Berkman grounded into a double play to end the top of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Pettitte walked Pujols, but he was erased from the bases with a double play, so the Cardinals' lead remained set at 3-0 going into the fourth.

Swinging at the first pitch of the fourth inning, Ensberg hit a flyball to the warning track in left field where it bounced into the Houston bullpen for an automatic double. 1B-L Mike Lamb grounded out to Grudzielanek but advanced Ensberg to third. Carpenter then issued a four-pitch walk to RF-R Jason Lane, bringing SS-R Adam Everett to the plate. Everett hit a groundball straight down the third base line. Ensberg was running on contact, but Nunez made a good throw, and Molina adeptly tagged him out before his foot slid into home. With Lane at second and Everett at first, Ausmus grounded out to send the game to the bottom of the fourth.

While RF-L Larry Walker opened the bottom of the fourth with a line drive single into centerfield, Pettitte struck out Grudzielanek and Molina grounded into a double play. Following a one-two-three top of the fifth from Carpenter, Nunez hit a soft flyball into left centerfield for a single to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Mimicking his second inning sacrifice bunt, Carpenter advanced Nunez to second. Eckstein then hit a line drive into right field. The throw home was wide left of the plate, so Nunez was able to come in safe standing up, while Eckstein advanced to second on the throw. Edmonds hit a flyball directly to Taveras in centerfield, bringing Pujols to the plate. Pujols hit a hard line drive into deep right field for a single that drove in Eckstein, increasing St. Louis's lead to 5-0. While Sanders walked, Walker grounded out to send the game into the sixth inning.

Two outs into the top of the sixth, Lamb sent a flyball to the warning track in left field, where Sanders jumped up and made the catch to rob Lamb of a home run. Pettitte also pitched a one-two-three sixth.

With one out down in the top of the seventh, Everett hit a groundball past a diving Eckstein into left field for a single. After Ausmus hit a line drive straight to Walker in right field for out number two, Houston pinch-hit for Pettitte with right-handed hitter Chris Burke. Burke launched a two-run shot off the left field foul pole to narrow the Cardinals' lead to 5-2. The rally ended with Biggio striking out. Houston sent RHP Russ Springer out to pitch the bottom of the seventh. While Springer gave up a walk to Edmonds, Springer did not allow St. Louis to increase their lead.

Carpenter remained in to face the heart of the Houston lineup in the eighth and needed only four pitches to retire the side as each hitter grounded out. RHP Ezequiel Astacio relieved Springer prior to the bottom of the eighth. Sanders sent Astacio's first pitch soaring down the right field line, but Lane hustled over to make a nice catch in foul territory. Astacio then struck out Walker and Grudzielanek to send the game into the ninth inning.

The Cardinals sent closer RHP Jason Isringhausen out to pitch the ninth. Leading off for the Astros, Lamb hit a line drive into left field for a single. Isringhausen then struck out Lane, bringing Everett to the plate. Everett hit a grounder between short and third. Eckstein fielded the ball and made a throw to second. The throw bounced several feet in front of second and then bounced off Grudzielanek's glove and into shallow right center. Lamb advanced to third and Everett was safe at first. When Ausmus hit a high flyball to Edmonds in centerfield, Lamb tagged up and ran home to bring the game to 5-3. However, pinch-hitting for Astacio, switch-hitter Jose Vizcaino grounded out to give Game 1 to the Cardinals.

A noticeable fog hovered about the field as Game 2 of the ALCS opened at U.S. Cellular Field. Taking the mound for Chicago, LHP Mark Buehrle went one-two-three through the top of the first, bringing Los Angeles starter LHP Jarrod Washburn to the mound. Leading off for the White Sox, LF-L Scott Podsednik chopped a pitch back to the hill for what should have been an easy out. However, Washburn's throw to first slipped over the top of a leaping 1B-L Darin Erstad's glove even though the first baseman's arm was fully extended, so the out turned into a two-base error. 2B-R Tadahito Iguchi did not give Washburn time to rest, bunting his first pitch toward the mound. While he slightly bobbled the bunt, this time Washburn's throw went near enough to first for the Angels to retire Iguchi, although Podsednik advanced to third. Up next, RF-R Jermaine Dye grounded out to short, driving in Podsednik. While 1B-R Paul Konerko hit a line drive into left-center for a single, DH-S Carl Everett grounded out to end the inning before Chicago could build on their 1-0 lead.

Buehrle again kept Los Angeles off the bases in the top of the second. Leading off the bottom of the inning, CF-R Aaron Rowand sent the ball soaring into the right field corner. RF-R Vladimir Guerrero was unable to get over in time to make the catch, and the ball bounced around near the fence for a moment before he was able to pick it up and throw to third. Despite sliding into third, Rowand returned to his feet and made for home when the throw went well behind the base. However, 3B-R Robb Quinlan quickly recovered the throw and fired the ball to the plate where C-R Jose Molina tagged Rowand for the first out of the inning. C-L A.J. Pierzynski struck out and 3B-R Joe Crede flew out to right, so Washburn faced a minimum of batters in the inning.

One out into the top of the third, Jose Molina knocked a grounder to short. Although SS-R Juan Uribe fielded the ball cleanly, his throw climbed over a jumping Konerko, allowing Molina to reach first safely. Even so, the baserunner did not hurt the White Sox as 2B-L Adam Kennedy hit into an inning ending double play. With one down in the bottom of the third, Podsednik smacked a grounder into left field for a single, but Chicago did not drive him in.

Starting the Angels second turn through the order, CF-S Chone Figgins grounded out to lead off the top of the fourth. Up next, SS-R Orlando Cabrera thwacked a groundball down the left field line for a double. Cabrera watched from second as Guerrero grounded out to short, bringing up DH-R Bengie Molina. Buehrle's second pitch plunked Molina's left foot, giving Los Angeles runners on first and second, but to the relief of the crowd, LF-L Garret Anderson grounded out to end the top of the inning. Washburn kept the White Sox off the bases in the bottom of the fourth.

Leading off the fifth, Quinlan propelled a solo shot into the left field stands to tie the game at 1. Following Quinlan, Erstad injected a line drive into center for a single. Jose Molina then dropped a bunt just in front of the plate, but a prepared Pierzynski recovered the ball in time to force out Erstad at second. Kennedy hit a grounder to Iguchi, who threw to second to retire Molina. Figgins almost dropped a flyball into right-centerfield, however Dye swept over to make the catch and end the top of the inning.

Pierzynski opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk. After a first-pitch flyout from Crede, Uribe rapped a grounder into right field for a single, advancing Pierzynski to second. The runners remained stationary while Podsednik popped out in foul territory near the third base on-deck circle. On the seventh pitch of Iguchi's plate appearance, Washburn came inside and caught the second baseman in the back, loading the bases, at which point the Angels brought in reliever RHP Brendan Donnelly. Donnelly struck out Dye with three pitches, maintaining the tie.

While Cabrera led off the sixth with a line drive single to left, Guerrero grounded into a double play to clear the bases, and Bengie Molina struck out to end the top of the inning. Replacing Donnelly, RHP Scot Shields kept Chicago off the bases in the bottom of the sixth, and Buehrle similarly went one-two-three through the Los Angeles lineup in the top of the seventh.

RHP Kelvim Escobar took the mound for the Angels in the bottom of the seventh. After a leadoff pop out by Pierzynski, Crede catapulted a fly ball to the warning track in left-center for a double. Uribe then hit an elevated line drive, which went directly to Anderson in left. With Crede well off second, Anderson threw to the base and beat a sliding Crede to the bag for an inning ending double play.

Leading off the eighth, Jose Molina punched a grounder into left for a single, and the Angels sent Jeff DaVanon to pinch-run. With DaVanon on second after a sacrifice bunt by Kennedy, Figgins grounded out to short, advancing DaVanon to third, where he remained stranded as Cabrera hit a long fly ball to Podsednik at the wall in left. Two strike outs into the bottom of the eighth, Dye managed a line drive single to left-center, but Escobar finished the inning with a three-pitch Konerko K.

Buehrle returned to the mound for the top of the ninth, having thrown only 91 pitches at that point. Eight pitches and three popouts later, the White Sox returned to the dugout. Two outs into the bottom of the ninth, the game appeared destined for extra innings as Pierzynski swung at strike three. However, as Los Angeles started to leave the field, Pierzynski turned in the batter's box and ran for first. Not realizing the situation, C-R Josh Paul tossed the ball back toward the mound as he headed for the dugout, so Los Angeles had no chance to throw out Pierzynski. With Pierzynski safe at first, Angels' manager Mike Scioscia ran onto the field to demand an explanation from the umpires. Apparently, the umpire signaled a strike but not an out, as he believed Paul dropped strike three. Replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball actually touched the ground, and the umpire's signal certainly was confusing, but the fault lies with Paul for not perfunctorily tagging Pierzynski before leaving the field.

Hoping to make the most of their unexpected baserunner, Chicago pinch-ran for Pierzynski with Pablo Ozuna. On the second pitch of Crede's at-bat, Ozuna stole second. Crede sent Escobar's next pitch flying into the left field corner for a walk-off double. Following the 2-1 victory, the White Sox now are up 2-1 in the series.