White Sox sweep Astros 7-3 in Game 2, advance in ALWC

Dustin Judge
Chicago White Sox Land Standout Japanese Slugger Munetaka Murakami

The Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 7-3 on Wednesday at Daikin Park to sweep their White Sox Astros Game 2 American League wild-card series 2-0 before 36,015 fans. Chase Meidroth drove in three runs, including a sixth-inning homer that put the game away.

Chicago jumped on Houston starter Hunter Brown for four runs in the top of the first inning, chasing him before he could record a second out. Jeremy Peña answered with a leadoff homer in the bottom half, but the Astros never got closer than a run the rest of the way. Jose Altuve finished 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, the only real counterpunch Houston could muster against a deep White Sox bullpen.

Takeaways from White Sox’s win over Astros

A four-run first buried Houston before it started

Kyle Teel, Andrew Benintendi and Tristan Peters strung together RBI singles in the top of the first, and a throwing error by Houston center fielder let a fourth run score. That knocked Brown out after just 0.2 innings, during which he allowed five hits and four runs, three earned. The early cushion meant the Astros were chasing a deficit from the first pitch of a game they had to win to stay alive.

Meidroth’s sixth-inning blast slammed the door

Houston had clawed within one run at 4-3 on Altuve’s fourth-inning homer and had the tying run on base in the sixth after Bryan Abreu relieved Peter Lambert. Chase Meidroth turned on a fastball for a three-run homer, scoring Luis Acuña and Peters, according to the Houston Chronicle. The blast restored Chicago’s four-run cushion and effectively ended any Houston rally hopes.

The White Sox bullpen locked things down late

Jordan Hicks and Erick Fedde combined for four scoreless innings to close it out, each striking out three without allowing a hit. Chicago relievers locked down the late innings as Houston’s comeback bid fell short.

Player of the game: Chase Meidroth

Meidroth went 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, a run scored and a walk, leading Chicago’s eight-hit attack. His three-run shot in the sixth proved decisive after Houston had pulled within a run. Meidroth’s solo appearance mattered more than the preview suggested.

White Sox vs. Astros by the numbers

Chicago scored four runs in the first inning alone and added three more in the sixth. Houston starter Hunter Brown lasted just 0.2 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, three earned. According to Bleacher Report, White Sox pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts compared to 13 for Houston’s staff.https://totalapexsports.com/mlb/”>postseason, allowing five hits and four runs. White Sox pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts compared to 13 for Houston’s staff.

Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña each went deep for the Astros, but Houston stranded several baserunners in a sixth-inning threat that ended with Anthony Kay retiring Altuve on a flyout. Chicago improved to 84-78 with the victory.

What’s next

The White Sox advance to the American League Division Series having swept the Astros 2-0 in the best-of-three wild-card round. Houston finished the regular season at 81-81, tied atop the AL West standings heading into the postseason. Chicago’s next ALDS opponent and schedule will be set by MLB in the coming days.

Reporting from Bleacher Report and Houstonchronicle contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.