People call the World Series the “Fall Classic” and classics like the first two games of this “Fall Classic” make it clear why they call it the “Fall Classic.” We have seen great fundamental baseball by the Chicago White Sox, maybe the best bunting team in the American League since the early ’60s. But the White Sox don’t need to bunt to score which is the difference between them and the Houston Astros who don’t play fundamental baseball and who are now down two games as a result.

You’ll hear a lot of talk this morning around the water cooler about Scott Podsednik’s walk-off home run and about what a surprising hit it was considering that he didn’t hit a home run all year and Houston closer Brad Lidge’s dominance. Lidge very clearly has a tired arm — Albert Pujols hitting a homer, sure, but Podsednik? — and the White Sox are catching him at the right time. Astros manager Phil Garner has been overworking Lidge, making him pitch outside of the 9th inning several times in the playoffs and that’s not when a closer should be pitching. A closer should be pitching in save situations — any more than that and you’re looking for trouble.

Ozzie Guillen has a better situation with Bobby Jenks because Jenks isn’t really their closer because Dustin Hermanson was the closer this season and so it makes sense for Jenks to come in during the 8th inning like he did in Game One because he isn’t the closer. True, he has become the default closer with Hermanson’s injuries but Jenks doesn’t quite have that closer mentality — he’s just as good with a seven-run lead as he is with a three-run lead. And so even if we were seeing the Lidge of last year I still think the White Sox would hold an edge in the bullpen department.

But going back to that Podsednik home run, it was his speed threat that got him that long ball. I know what Lidge, Garner and catcher Brad Ausmus were thinking: get Podsednik something up because he’s so good at beating out ground balls. If Podsednik were to get on with a drag bunt or a simple grounder, you know he would be on second before Willy Tavares could grow a beard. And if Podsednik stole second, third would be next and then all you need is an Iguchi fly-out or squeeze play and you’ve won. I don’t think the blame should be placed on Lidge last night because the White Sox were going to manufacture a run in the 9th no matter what. Lidge just tried to neutralize Guillen’s biggest weapon — manufacturing runs — with a pitch up in the zone, and he got unlucky in that Podsednik got good wood on it and before you knew it the Astros were in a big hole.

But the Astros are not done yet. The first thing Garner needs to do in Houston is play Jeff Bagwell at first base because he is that team’s leader. Play Bags at first and bat him third and I think you’ll see the whole Houston team chemistry really change and maybe they’ll be able to start manufacturing runs, too. Also, Tavares should be hitting lead off — is there any doubt that he’s Rookie of the Year? — and Garner should consider starting Wandy Rodriguez in Game Four because Rodriguez induced a lot of double plays and that’s the best way to kill smallball. But no matter what Houston does Chicago will fly around the bases and so this is probably over but you never can tell.