Story perspectives

White Sox Beat Astros 6-3 in Wild Card Game 1

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 2:35 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.
Rookie left-hander Hagen Smith opened for Chicago, delivering three scoreless innings.
Colson Montgomery hit a 432-foot solo home run in the fourth inning.
Grant Taylor closed the win, throwing 54 pitches over 2 1/3 innings with one unearned run.
Astros manager Joe Espada said the team must win Game 2 to avoid elimination.

History

Historical Context

In 1906 the Chicago White Sox, nicknamed the “Hitless Wonders,” surged from fourth place with a 19-game winning streak to finish 93-58, clinched the American League pennant and upset the 116-win Chicago Cubs in the World Series—the first championship for a Chicago team. Their success rested on dominant pitching, exemplified by Ed Walsh, rather than hitting. Today’s reliance on rookie arms echoes that 1906 formula.

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Story summary

The Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.
Rookie left-hander Hagen Smith opened for Chicago, delivering three scoreless innings.
Colson Montgomery hit a 432-foot solo home run in the fourth inning.
Grant Taylor closed the win, throwing 54 pitches over 2 1/3 innings with one unearned run.
Astros manager Joe Espada said the team must win Game 2 to avoid elimination.

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