The Houston Astros have taken a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, winning Game 2 by a score of 9-4 at Minute Maid Park.
Houston broke open a 4-4 game in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs. Kyle Tucker homered and drove in three while Framber Valdez allowed four runs and seven hits over 4/13 innings.
Four different Chicago players drove in a run as Lucas Giolito also gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Chicago bullpen allowed five runs over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Astros put White Sox on brink of elimination with big seventh inning
Chicago got on the board first in the top of the first inning. Singles by Luis Robert and Jose Abreu were followed by a hit by pitch to Yasmani Grandal. A run was brought in when Eloy Jimenez hit an RBI groundout that Jose Altuve made a nice play on to prevent further damage.
The Astros offense went to work in the bottom of the inning against Giolito. TuckerAst singled in Yuli Gurriel to tie the game and Houston went in front 2-1 on a sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick.
Valdez held the White Sox at bay until the fifth when Leury Garcia led off with a single, Tim Anderson singled with one out and Robert singled home Garcia to tie the game and chase Valdez.
Yimi Garcia came in out of the Houston bullpen and Abreu greeted him with a run-scoring single and following a wild pitch, Grandal made it 4-2 after a sacrifice fly that scored Robert.
Altuve led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk and Michael Brantley also received a free pass with one out. Yordan Alvarez drew Houston's third walk of the inning off of Garrett Crochet, who had relieved Giolito.
Gurriel then singled home Altuve and Brantley to knot the score at 4-4. Crochet escaped further damage after getting Carlos Correa to hit into an inning-ending 5-3 double play.
The AL West champs broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh. Altuve singled to lead things off and he went to third on Alex Bregman's single. Alvarez then singled off of Aaron Bummer to put Houston ahead for good.
Craig Kimbrel came in for Bummer and Correa smashed a two-run double to right that Garcia misplayed, extending the Astros lead to 7-4. Kyle Tucker capped the scoring with a two-run blast into the Crawford Boxes in left.
Ryne Stanek pitched a scoreless seventh, closer Ryan Pressly the eighth and Kendall Graveman, who was shaky in Game 1, put the first two White Sox on in the top of the ninth before retiring Robert, Abreu and Grandal to end the game.
Game 3 starters
The series shifts to Chicago for Game 3 with Houston looking to close things out on Sunday night. Rookie Luis Garcia will get the ball for the Astros while Dylan Cease will attempt to extend the White Sox season.
Fox Sports 1 will have television coverage with Adam Amin the play-by-play announcer. Analysis will be provided by A.J. Pierzynski and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright. First pitch is at 8:07pm ET.
