The Chicago White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to beat the Houston Astros 7-3 on Wednesday and sweep their American League wildcard series.
It is the first time Chicago have won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under second-year manager Will Venable, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.
Historic turnaround for Chicago
The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.
The AL West-winning Astros went 81-81 to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. Their recent playoff struggles in Houston continued as they dropped their ninth straight home playoff game in their ninth postseason trip in the last 10 years.
Key moments in the game
Chicago scored four runs in the first inning, a day after scoring three in the first two innings of a 6-3 win. Houston starter Hunter Brown was lifted after getting just two outs and was not helped by a defense that committed two first-inning errors.
The Astros clawed back with solo home runs from Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve to trail by one entering the sixth inning. AJ Blubaugh and Peter Lambert combined to retire the next 13 batters after Brown exited. Bryan Abreu came in, and Meidroth smashed his fifth pitch off the wall in left field to push the lead to 7-3.
Astros face uncertain future
Houston faced boos for a second straight game from an unusually thin crowd. It is a second consecutive playoff trip in which the Astros have been swept at home in the wildcard round after losing both games to Detroit in 2024.
Manager Joe Espada's contract is set to expire at season's end after general manager Dana Brown was fired last month. Yordan Alvarez, the AL MVP favorite, managed only a single with two strikeouts in eight at-bats in the series.
Altuve's fourth-inning homer was the 28th postseason homer of his career, second in MLB history behind Manny Ramirez (29).
Yankees rout Red Sox
Max Fried dominated Boston, Cody Bellinger and Luis García Jr homered, and the New York Yankees romped over the Red Sox 9-2 on Wednesday night for a two-game AL wildcard series sweep.
Clinging to a 2-1 lead after Willson Contreras homered to end Boston's 26-inning postseason scoreless streak, the Yankees broke the game open with a six-run sixth. García had three hits in his first postseason start, and Bellinger had four RBIs including a three-run homer that put New York ahead 8-1.
New York will face AL East champion Tampa Bay in an AL Division Series starting Saturday. Boston, who reached the playoffs after rebounding from a 32-46 start, were eliminated by the Yankees in the first round for the second straight year. The Red Sox hit .117 in the two-game series (7 for 60) with 18 strikeouts and were outscored 18-2.
Padres sweep Cubs
Pinch-hitter Gavin Sheets blasted a two-run homer, five Padres pitchers combined on a five-hitter, and San Diego swept the Chicago Cubs out of the NL wildcard series with a 4-1 victory in Game 2.
Ethan Salas drove in a run while becoming the youngest player to catch a postseason game in major league history. One year after the Cubs eliminated the Padres in three games at Wrigley Field, the Padres reversed the result in two romps at Petco Park.
With their fifth playoff series victory in the past seven years, the Padres advanced to face the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers in an NL division series this weekend.
Phillies force decisive game
Alec Bohm put Philadelphia ahead with a two-out home run in the 10th inning and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 to force a decisive third game in their National League Wild Card Series. The Phillies rallied with back-to-back homers from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper after trailing 3-1 in the seventh. Andrew Painter saved the bullpen with three scoreless innings to close things out.
