White Sox defeat Astros 6-3 in AL Wild Card Game 1
Colson Montgomery homered and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs as the White Sox opened the AL Wild Card series with a 6-3 win in Houston.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Chicago White Sox opened the American League Wild Card series with a 6‑3 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press and Bleacher Report.
What happened
The game started with a chaotic first inning. Houston’s rookie opener AJ Blubaugh issued three walks and allowed an RBI before being pulled while the frame was still unfolding. Chicago answered with a sacrifice fly by Munetaka Murakami that plated Sam Antonacci for the opening run, followed by a solo homer from Colson Montgomery in the fourth inning. Antonacci added two more RBIs, and Chase Meidroth contributed a run in the fifth. Houston’s Nelson Velázquez hit a two‑run homer in the fifth to narrow the gap, but a wild pitch in the seventh let Murakami score from third, extending Chicago’s lead to 6‑2. José Altuve’s late single cut the deficit to 6‑3, which held as the final score.
What the reports add
- The Astros entered the game as 1.5‑point favorites on FanDuel, yet they could not leverage their home‑field advantage.
- Houston reached the postseason with an 81‑81 record, becoming the first club to qualify without a winning season.
- The announced attendance was 34,011 in a stadium that seats 40,963, indicating a surprisingly thin crowd.
- Both clubs ran a bullpen‑heavy strategy, employing a total of 13 pitchers; Chicago started rookie left‑hander Hagen Smith, who threw three scoreless innings.
- An early error by Christian Walker left runners on first and third with one out in the first inning.
- The updated postseason bracket shows the sixth‑seeded White Sox leading the series 1‑0 over the third‑seeded Astros.
What was said
"Colson Montgomery hit a solo homer and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros 6‑3," the Associated Press reported.
How it came about
Prior to the game, Pope Leo XIV—born Robert Francis Prevost and a Chicago native—sent a supportive letter to owner Jerry Reinsdorf, which arrived at the team’s headquarters on the morning of the matchup. The White Sox’s dramatic reversal this season, after three straight 100‑loss campaigns, set the stage for this historic opening win.
Key facts
- Chicago White Sox defeated Houston Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card series. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Colson Montgomery hit a solo home run for the White Sox. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Sam Antonacci drove in two runs. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Houston starter AJ Blubaugh was removed after allowing three walks and an RBI in the first inning. (bleacherreport.com)
- The Astros were 1.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. (bleacherreport.com)
