Chase Meidroth Powers White Sox Sweep of Astros, First Series Win Since 2005
Chase Meidroth hit a three-run homer as the White Sox beat the Astros 7-3, completed a Wild Card sweep and won their first playoff series since 2005.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Chicago White Sox are moving on after Chase Meidroth’s three-run homer broke open a one-run game and powered a 7-3 victory over the Houston Astros in American League Wild Card Game 2 on Wednesday. The win completed a two-game sweep in Houston and gave Chicago its first postseason series victory since the 2005 World Series.
Meidroth delivered the defining swing in the sixth inning. With the White Sox protecting a 4-3 lead, he drove a pitch from reliever Bryan Abreu for a three-run home run, restoring breathing room and silencing another Astros comeback attempt.
White Sox strike early, then answer Houston’s rally
Chicago put immediate pressure on Astros starter Hunter Brown, scoring four runs in the first inning. Brown recorded only two outs and threw 36 pitches before Houston turned to its bullpen.
The Astros did not fold. Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve each homered, cutting the deficit to 4-3 and turning the middle innings into a test for a White Sox club trying to finish a road sweep.
Meidroth supplied the answer. His sixth-inning blast turned a tense one-run game into a 7-3 advantage, and Chicago’s pitching staff protected that margin the rest of the way.
Chicago ends a 21-year wait
The series win carries unusual weight for the White Sox. Their previous postseason series victory came in 2005, when they swept Houston to win the World Series. The franchise had not advanced through a playoff round since.
Chicago’s turnaround also follows three consecutive 100-loss seasons. The White Sox reached October after becoming the first MLB team to make the postseason immediately after back-to-back 100-loss campaigns, then validated that recovery by eliminating a Houston team with extensive recent playoff experience.
The Astros’ missed opportunities proved costly throughout the series. Houston went hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position across the two games and has now lost nine consecutive home postseason games.
Guardians await in ALDS
The White Sox advance to face the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series. Chicago will enter that matchup with momentum, a rested bullpen and a lineup that produced different October heroes in consecutive games.
Colson Montgomery drove the Game 1 victory. In Game 2, it was Meidroth whose swing ended Houston’s season and delivered Chicago’s long-awaited postseason breakthrough.
