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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-30 · by Kristie Rieken The Associated Press
The Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros 6-3 in the first game of their American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday. Colson Montgomery hit a solo home run and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs for the White Sox, who made a significant turnaround this season to qualify for the playoffs despite losing over 100 games in each of the previous three seasons. The Astros, with an 81-81 record, became the first team ever to reach the postseason without a winning record and lost their eighth straight home playoff game.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox, two unlikely playoff teams with remarkable turnaround stories, faced off in a best-of-three AL Wild Card Series starting on Tuesday in Houston. The Astros clinched their division title despite ending the regular season at exactly .500 (81-81), marking them as baseball’s first such division winner. In contrast, the White Sox overcame losing 100 games each of the last three seasons to secure a playoff spot.
In Game 1 on Tuesday, the White Sox took an early lead with four runs in the first inning and won 6-3 despite the Astros employing a bullpen game strategy led by AJ Blumbaugh. The announced attendance was sparse at 34,011, leading to fan frustration among the players who heard boos throughout the game.
The White Sox continued their strong performance on Wednesday, sweeping the series with a 7-3 victory in Game 2. This marked Chicago's first playoff series win since 2005 and advanced them to face the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians in the Division Series starting Saturday in Cleveland.
Despite Houston’s playoff woes at home—dropping their ninth straight home playoff game—they expressed disappointment over fan support, with players like Bennett Sousa feeling that they needed more encouragement from their audience. Manager Will Venable of the White Sox praised his team for maintaining belief and achieving a historic turnaround to clinch this victory.
Written for “White Sox Playoff Run” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 16 other(s) covering the same event.
HOUSTON (AP) — 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 in Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday.
asserted
Antonacci → hit → Tuesday
The White Sox, in the postseason for the first time since 2021, made a remarkable turnaround this year to become the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.
asserted
Sox → make → berth
They had lost 100 games three straight seasons, including 121 defeats in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1899.
asserted
They → lose → 1899
The White Sox got a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, prior to the game and got to work immediately to show off for the pontiff.
asserted
Sox → get → pontiff
They led 3-0 after two innings and held on for their first playoff win since Oct. 10, 2021 in the ALDS against Houston.
asserted
They → lead → Houston
The AL West-winning Astros eked into the playoffs with an 81-81 record to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record.
asserted
Astros → win → record
Houston lost its eighth straight home playoff game in its ninth trip to the postseason in the last 10 years.
asserted
Houston → lose → years
Houston had runners on first and third with two outs in the eighth after singles by Jeremy Peña and MVP-favorite Yordan Alvarez when Jose Altuve reached and Peña scored on an error by third baseman Miguel Vargas to cut the lead to 6-3.
asserted
Peña → have → 6
The Astros’ tough day came in front of a surprisingly thin crowd.
asserted
day → come → crowd
The announced attendance was 34,011 in a park with a capacity of 40,963.
asserted
attendance → announce → 40,963
The home fans peppered the team with some boos when it fell behind early.
asserted
it → pepper → boos
Both teams went with a bullpen game and combined to use 13 pitchers.
asserted
teams → go → pitchers
Chicago opened with rookie left-hander Hagen Smith, and he allowed two hits in three scoreless innings.
asserted
he → open → innings
Houston’s rookie opener AJ Blubaugh gave up two walks, and an error by Christian Walker left runners on first and third with one out in the first.
asserted
error → give → first
The White Sox took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Murakami.
asserted
Sox → take → Murakami
Bryan King plunked Montgomery to load the bases with no outs in the second before Antonacci’s single pushed the lead to 3-0.
asserted
single → plunk → 3
Montgomery, who manager Will Venable dropped to ninth in the order Tuesday, opened the fourth with a 432-foot homer to straightaway center field to make it 4-0.
asserted
it → drop → field
He hit 31 home runs in the regular season but also set the single-season record with 227 strikeouts.
asserted
He → hit → strikeouts
Chicago made it 5-0 on a bases-loaded RBI single by Chase Meidroth with one out in the fifth.
asserted
it → make → fifth
Pinch-hitter Nelson Velázquez hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to 5-2 with two outs in the fifth.
asserted
Velázquez → hit → fifth
The White Sox tacked on another run on a wild pitch by Bennett Sousa in the seventh.
asserted
Sox → tack → seventh
Up next
Houston RHP Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA) will start Game 2.
asserted
Brown → start → Game
The White Sox haven’t named a starter.
asserted
Sox → name → starter
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