HOUSTON, Oct. 25 - As night crept into morning, Paul Konerko could sense what would happen. Even the longest game in World Series history was bound to end eventually, and the winner of Game 3 would have a huge psychological lift.

"If they're going to walk us off," Konerko, the Chicago White Sox first baseman, said he thought to himself, "that's a big momentum shift going into tomorrow night."

A walk-off victory in the first World Series game ever played in Texas would not have given the Houston Astros the series lead. But it would have vaulted them back into it and dealt a body blow to the White Sox. It could have happened, too, if only the Astros had managed a big hit.

Instead, it was a former Astro, the reserve infielder Geoff Blum, who played the hero for the White Sox. Blum's line-drive homer to the right field corner in the 14th inning carried the White Sox to a 7-5 victory and the brink of their first World Series title since 1917.