White Sox sweep Astros, advance to ALDS for first playoff series win since 2005

Dustin Judge
Chicago White Sox win Draft Lottery.

The Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros 7-3 on Wednesday to win their first playoff series since 2005, a stunning turnaround for a franchise that lost 100 games in each of three straight seasons from 2023 to 2025.

The White Sox, the only team in MLB history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth, will face AL Central champion Cleveland in the Division Series starting Saturday in Cleveland.

Chicago pounced on Houston from the opening inning, scoring four runs in the first as Astros starter Hunter Brown exited after recording only two outs. Chase Meidroth’s three-run homer in the sixth extended the lead to 7-3. The White Sox had defeated Houston 6-3 in Game 1 on Tuesday to take control of the best-of-three series.

The sweep ends a historic drought

Chicago’s last playoff series victory came in the 2005 World Series—also against Houston. The White Sox had not reached the postseason since 2021. Their turnaround this year was unprecedented: after losing 101 games in 2023, a modern-era record 121 in 2024, and 102 in 2025, Chicago made the playoffs under second-year manager Will Venable.

Houston finished the regular season 81-81 to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. The Astros extended their home playoff struggles, dropping their ninth straight playoff game at home. It was the second straight playoff trip in which Houston was swept at home in the Wild Card Series, after Detroit beat them 2-0 in 2024.

Houston’s season ends with offensive struggles

The Astros scored solo homers from Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve in Game 2 to keep the deficit manageable, but could not mount a full comeback. Altuve’s shot was his 28th postseason homer, second in MLB history behind Manny Ramirez’s 29. He finished the series 1-for-8 with two strikeouts. AL MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez managed only a single in eight at-bats across both games.

Houston faced boos from the crowd at Minute Maid Park in both games, an unusual reception for a defending World Series contender playing at home. The announced attendance in Game 1 was 34,011 in a stadium with a capacity of 40,963.

What’s next for Chicago

The White Sox will face Cleveland, the AL Central champion, in the Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.

Reporting from ESPN, CBS Sports, FOX Sports and Chicagotribune contributed to this story.

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.