After clawing way to AL West title, Astros' postseason ends with ALWC sweep

HOUSTON -- The last team to make the playoffs when they won the American League West title on the final day of the regular season on Sunday, the Astros were the first team to be eliminated from the 2026 postseason.

The Astros nearly overcame a four-run first-inning deficit by hitting three solo home runs, but Chase Meidroth slugged a three-run homer off reliever Bryan Abreu in the sixth inning that sent the White Sox to a 7-3 win on Wednesday evening and a sweep of the best-of-three AL Wild Card Series at Daikin Park.

The loss was the Astros’ ninth in a row at home in the postseason and marked the second time in three years they were swept in the AL Wild Card Series (also by Detroit in 2024). That ended an up-and-down 2026 season in which Houston overcame a rash of early injuries and a 20-31 start to advance to the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons, despite an 81-81 record and parting ways with general manager Dana Brown in August.

Astros starter Hunter Brown couldn’t make it through the first inning, which put Houston’s pitching staff in a tough spot considering it had used eight pitchers in a bullpen game in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss in Game 1.

Brown faced nine hitters, gave up four runs (three earned), five hits, walked one and was the victim of some poor defense. The Astros made a pair of errors behind him and Yordan Alvarez, starting in left field, couldn’t catch what appeared to be a playable fly ball.

Brown needed 16 pitches to get one out, 30 pitches to record two outs and left the game after 36 pitches with the bases loaded and a 4-0 deficit. AJ Blubaugh, who started Game 1, got Sam Antonacci to ground out to escape the jam and give the Astros a chance to mount a comeback.

The Astros, who led the Major Leagues in home runs in the regular season, got back into the game with a leadoff homer by Jeremy Peña in the first, a Statcast-projected 440-foot homer by Cam Smith in the second and a solo homer in the fourth by Jose Altuve. Altuve’s 28th career postseason homer put him one behind Manny Ramirez for most all-time and cut the lead to 4-3.

After Astros reliever Peter Lambert threw three scoreless innings, the Astros threatened in the fifth. Lefty Anthony Kay came into the game and got Alvarez to line out to left with runners at first and second. After walking Isaac Paredes to load the bases, Kay got Altuve to fly out to right to end the inning.

The White Sox struck quickly in the sixth. Lambert walked the first two batters he faced in the inning, ending his relief outing after 48 pitches, and Meidroth slammed a three-run homer off an Abreu slider to put the White Sox ahead, 7-3.