HOUSTON — September 30, 2026: The Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros 7–3 in Game 2 of their American League Wild Card Series at Daikin Park, completing a two-game sweep and advancing to the AL Division Series.
Chicago scored four runs before Houston recorded its second out, then answered the Astros’ three-home-run rally with Chase Meidroth’s three-run homer in the sixth inning. The result ended Houston’s season and gave the White Sox their first postseason series victory since the 2005 World Series.
How Chicago built the early lead
Sam Antonacci opened the game with a double, and the White Sox immediately put pressure on Astros starter Hunter Brown. Chicago collected five hits in the first inning while Houston committed two errors, turning the opening frame into a four-run deficit.
Andrew Benintendi drove in a run with a shallow single, a throwing error by Lucas Spence allowed another run to score, and Tristan Peters added an RBI single. Brown was removed after recording only two outs. His final line was four runs, three earned, on five hits in 36 pitches.
The poor first inning followed a difficult Game 1 for Houston’s pitching staff, when the Astros used nine pitchers in a 6–3 loss. Chicago’s ability to force early pitching changes in both games shaped the series by creating frequent matchups with runners already on base.
Houston’s three homers made it close
The Astros responded with three solo home runs. Jeremy Peña led off the bottom of the first with a homer against Chicago starter Sean Burke. Cam Smith hit a 440-foot solo shot in the second, and Jose Altuve homered to the Crawford Boxes in the fourth.
Altuve’s home run was the 28th of his postseason career, moving him within one of Manny Ramirez’s major-league record of 29. The blast reduced Chicago’s lead to 4–3 and energized a Houston lineup that had struggled to convert opportunities with runners on base.
The Astros had their best chance to tie the game in the fifth inning. Isaac Paredes drew a two-out walk to load the bases, but Altuve flew out to right-center. Houston finished the two-game series 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, according to the Houston Chronicle’s game report.
Meidroth’s homer decided Game 2
Houston reliever Peter Lambert stabilized the game with three perfect innings after the chaotic first. But Lambert walked Benintendi and Peters to begin the sixth, bringing Bryan Abreu into the game with two runners aboard.
After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, Meidroth drove a pitch to left-center for a three-run homer. The swing restored Chicago’s four-run lead at 7–3 and erased the momentum Houston had built with its three solo homers.
The Astros did not score again. Chicago’s bullpen protected the lead, and Houston went down in order in both the eighth and ninth innings.
What the result means
The White Sox won the best-of-three series 2–0 and moved on to the AL Division Series. Their 7–3 victory followed Tuesday’s 6–3 Game 1 win, when Colson Montgomery homered and Chicago’s relievers stopped a late Houston comeback.
For the Astros, the loss completed an 81–83 record when the regular season and two postseason defeats are combined. Houston has now lost nine consecutive home playoff games dating to 2023. The defeat also begins an offseason with leadership decisions ahead: the club is searching for a general manager, and manager Joe Espada’s contract expires after the season.
Chicago’s series win was built on consistent production with runners in scoring position. The White Sox went 8-for-18 in those situations across the two games, while Houston did not record a hit in nine such at-bats.
Game 2 scoring summary
- First inning: Chicago scored four runs on five hits and two Houston errors. Peña homered in the bottom half.
- Second inning: Cam Smith’s solo homer cut the lead to 4–2.
- Fourth inning: Altuve hit his 28th postseason homer, making it 4–3.
- Sixth inning: Meidroth’s three-run homer extended Chicago’s lead to 7–3.
- Final: White Sox 7, Astros 3; Chicago won the series 2–0.
Follow more verified postseason results in the AskNovus MLB section and review the day’s complete Wild Card Game 2 schedule.
Sources
- Houston Chronicle, updated September 30, 2026: final score, play-by-play and series context
- MLB.com, September 30, 2026: official Game 2 matchup, lineups and postseason context
Featured image: Nick Jio/Unsplash. Illustrative photograph.
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