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09/29 20:40 CDT White Sox strike first in AL wild card, beating Astros 6-3 in Game 1 White Sox strike first in AL wild card, beating Astros 6-3 in Game 1 By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer 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. 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. They had lost 100 games three straight seasons, including 121 defeats in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1899. "We came here to win the series and the first part of that is getting this first win, which is great," manager Will Venable said. He added that he was impressed with the poise his young team showed. "A bunch of young guys that haven't been in this situation before, they didn't back down at all," he said. "So really good stuff to come out and have an early win." 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. They led 3-0 after two innings and held on for their first playoff win since Oct. 10, 2021 in the ALDS against Houston. The AL West-winning Astros eked out a playoff spot with an 81-81 record to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. Houston lost its eighth straight home playoff game in its ninth trip to the postseason in the last 10 years. Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Wednesday in Houston. Manager Joe Espada is confident his team will respond Wednesday to force a Game 3. "Our backs have been against the corner before and I think that's when we are our best, when we fight back," he said. "We know it's a do or die and we've been here before, so I really admire how they bounce back and they react to challenges. I expect them to go out there and bounce back and our offense to get going." MVP-favorite Yordan Alvarez said they're ready for the challenge. "Tomorrow we have to come out here and win or there's no tomorrow after that," he said in Spanish through a translator. Houston had runners on first and third with two outs in the eighth after singles by Jeremy Pea and Alvarez when Jose Altuve reached and Pea scored on an error by third baseman Miguel Vargas to cut the lead to 6-3. The Astros' tough day came in front of a surprisingly thin crowd. The announced attendance was 34,011 in a park with a capacity of 40,963. The home fans peppered the team with some boos when it fell behind early. Both teams went with a bullpen game and combined to use 13 pitchers. Chicago opened with rookie left-hander Hagen Smith, and he allowed two hits in three scoreless innings. "It was cool just to get the opportunity to go out there and do that," he said. "And, yeah, just try to go out there and compete the best I can for the team and give us the best chance to win." 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. The White Sox took an early lead on a sacrifice fly by 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. Espada said having to use two pitchers so early made piecing together the game difficult. "It puts you in a tough spot for sure," he said. Montgomery, who 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. He hit 31 home runs in the regular season but also set the single-season record with 227 strikeouts. Chicago made it 5-0 on a bases-loaded RBI single by Chase Meidroth with one out in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Nelson Velzquez hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to 5-2 with two outs in the fifth. The White Sox tacked on another run on a wild pitch by Bennett Sousa in the seventh.

Up next Ace Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA) will start Game 2 as the Astros try to avoid elimination against RHP Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA). ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here

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