The White Sox cruised to the ALDS by sweeping the Houston Astros in a two-game Wild Card Series. Following Tuesday's 6-3 win, the White Sox advanced with a 7-3 victory on Wednesday. They never gave the Astros much hope in a one-sided showdown.
OptaStats noted that the White Sox became the first MLB team to lead at the end of every inning of a multi-game playoff series. They began each game with instant offense on the road. Chicago started Game 1 by scoring a first-inning run against Astros opener AJ Blubaugh.
The White Sox scored twice more in the second and expanded the lead to 5-0 before Nelson Velazquez hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the fifth. The Astros sent ace Hunter Brown to the mound on Wednesday with the season on the line, but the White Sox again chased out the opposing starter early. Chicago scored four runs against Brown before he could complete the first inning.
Houston narrowed the deficit to one through five innings, but Chase Meidroth broke the game open with a three-run homer in the sixth. White Sox relievers Anthony Kay, Jordan Hicks, and Erick Fedde finished the victory by throwing 4 2/3 combined hitless innings. The Astros hit four home runs but still batted .169 (11-for-65) in both losses.
Meanwhile, the White Sox tallied 19 hits and eight walks to win their first postseason series in 21 years. The White Sox will play the Cleveland Guardians, who finished one game ahead of them to win the AL Central, in the ALDS. Game 1 starts Saturday at 1 p.m.
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