Game 3 proved to be perhaps the most exciting of the whole series. The White Sox headed into Boston, taking on Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez, and David Ortiz, and were confident. Freddy García was starting, ready to nail down his second clinching win of the season (He had been the winning pitcher in the game where the White Sox clinched the Central Division title.). The White Sox took a 2–0 lead in the top of the third inning with some key hits. However, García did not have a very good start, which kept the Red Sox in the game. He gave up two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game. But Paul Konerko, the White Sox' number one run producer the whole season, stepped to the plate in the top of the sixth inning with Jermaine Dye on base. He sent a pitch over the left field wall to put the White Sox ahead 4–2, and keep a lead that they never lost. A particularly tense point came in the sixth inning. García gave up a mammoth home run to Manny Ramirez to bring Boston to within one, and then Boston loaded the bases with a single and two walks. That prompted manager Ozzie Guillén to bring on Orlando "El Duque" Hernández, who was brought to Chicago for his incredible postseason track record while with the New York Yankees. With no outs, Hernández got Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino to pop up in consecutive at-bats. Then after Johnny Damon drew a full count from Hernández, El Duque got him to miss, ending the inning and puttng the Red Sox down to rest. Hernández pitched two more scoreless innings, allowing only one more hit. The White Sox added a run in the top of the ninth inning for security, leading to Bobby Jenks closing out his second game of the series and sending Chicago into the American League Championship Series. Final Score: White Sox 5, Boston 3.