White Sox Beat Astros 6-3 in AL Wild Card Game 1

American League Wild Card Series

The Chicago White Sox opened their first postseason appearance since 2021 with a statement victory, defeating the Houston Astros 6-3 on Tuesday in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series. Colson Montgomery hit a solo home run and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs as Chicago built an early lead and held on for its first playoff victory since Oct. 10, 2021, when the White Sox defeated Houston in the AL Division Series. The White Sox now lead the best-of-three series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday in Houston.

White Sox Make History With Playoff Return

Chicago’s postseason appearance capped one of the most remarkable turnarounds in MLB history. The White Sox became the first team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.

Chicago had lost at least 100 games in three consecutive seasons, including a franchise-record 121 losses in 2024, the most by a major league team since 1899. Before Tuesday’s game, the White Sox received a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native. They responded immediately, jumping on Houston early and taking a 3-0 lead after two innings.

Chicago opened the game with rookie left-hander Hagen Smith, who delivered three scoreless innings while allowing only two hits. Houston also used a rookie opener, AJ Blubaugh, as both teams relied heavily on their bullpens.

The White Sox took advantage of Houston’s early mistakes in the first inning. Christian Walker committed an error that helped leave runners on first and third with one out, and Chicago grabbed the lead on a sacrifice fly by Murakami.

Montgomery Provides the Big Blow

Chicago added two more runs in the second. Bryan King hit Montgomery with a pitch to load the bases with nobody out, and Antonacci followed with a two-run single that pushed the White Sox ahead 3-0.

Montgomery, who manager Will Venable moved to ninth in the batting order Tuesday, delivered the biggest offensive blow in the fourth. He opened the inning by launching a 432-foot solo homer to straightaway center field, extending Chicago’s advantage to 4-0.

Montgomery hit 31 home runs during the regular season while also setting a single-season record with 227 strikeouts. Chicago added another run in the fifth when Chase Meidroth lined a bases-loaded RBI single with one out, making it 5-0.

Houston finally broke through later in the inning when pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez launched a two-run homer with two outs, cutting the deficit to 5-2. The White Sox answered with another run in the seventh on a wild pitch by Bennett Sousa to restore their four-run advantage.

Astros Rally Falls Short

Houston made things interesting in the eighth inning. Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez singled to put runners on first and third with two outs, and Jose Altuve reached base when Miguel Vargas committed an error at third.

Peña scored on the play, cutting Chicago’s lead to 6-3, but the White Sox escaped the inning and kept Houston from mounting a larger rally. The Astros’ loss extended a difficult postseason stretch at home. Houston has now dropped eight consecutive home playoff games.

The Astros entered the postseason after winning the AL West with an 81-81 record, becoming the first team to reach the playoffs with a non-winning record. Tuesday’s loss also came before a surprisingly thin crowd at the 40,963-seat ballpark. The announced attendance was 34,011, and some Houston fans voiced their displeasure with boos as the Astros fell behind early.

Bullpens Decide Game 1

Both teams opted for bullpen games and combined to use 13 pitchers. Chicago’s Smith gave the White Sox three scoreless innings to establish the tone, while Houston’s bullpen struggled to contain Chicago’s offense early. The White Sox consistently capitalized on opportunities with runners on base and built enough of a cushion to withstand Houston’s late push. The victory gives Chicago its first postseason win in nearly five years and puts the White Sox one victory away from advancing in the best-of-three series.

Game 2 Wednesday Afternoon

The Astros will turn to right-hander Hunter Brown in Game 2 on Wednesday. Brown finished the regular season 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA and will try to keep Houston’s season alive. The White Sox have not yet announced their Game 2 starter. With Chicago leading 1-0, the Astros must win Wednesday to force a decisive Game 3. The White Sox, meanwhile, need just one more victory to eliminate Houston and advance.