HOUSTON — The Houston Astros went with a bullpen-game approach on Tuesday, and it didn’t work.
Because they did not clinch the American League West Division title until the final day of the season, Houston was unable to use their top two starting pitchers in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Instead, the team went with using relievers to start the game, and it proved costly, as White Sox plated three runs in the first two innings on the way to a 6-3 victory at Daikin Park.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Houston’s AJ Blubaugh struggled with finding the strike zone as he walked Chicago’s leadoff hitter Sam Antonacci. He did get Kyle Teel to ground out, but the issue was first baseman Christian Walker hit Antonacci with the throw to second. That allowed him to advance to third. A sacrifice fly by Munetaka Murakami scored Antonacci.
After Blubaugh walked Andrew Benintendi, Astros skipper Joe Espada pulled him for Bryan King. King got Tristan Peters to strike out to get out of the jam.
Things went from bad to worse in the second inning.
Back-to-back singles by Braden Montgomery and Chase Meidroth led off the frame; King then plucked Colson Montgomery — with two strikes — to load the bases. Antonacci then laced a single to left to bring home two runs. Teel then followed with a single to right to load the bases with no outs. King was then pulled for Miguel Ullola.
Ullola came in and got three straight outs, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the frame.
The White Sox added another run in the fourth as Montgomery hit a leadoff home run to extend the lead to 4-0 and then another run in the fifth.
Houston finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Nelson Velazquez hit a two-out, two-run home run into the Crawford Boxes.
Chicago responded in the top of the seventh as Houston’s Bennett Sousa gave up back-to-back singles, a sac bunt, and then a wild pitch plated a run. Another wild pitch advanced the runners, but Sousa managed to get a double play to get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jeremy Pena reached on a one-out single, and then Yordan Alvarez hit a single as well. After a strikeout by Parades, Jose Altuve hit a ground ball and made it safely to first as Murakami came off the bag, which allowed Pena to score.
With two runners on, Yanier Diaz came to the plate, but the Astros catcher struck out looking.
BIG NUMBER I: 49
Astros reliever AJ Blubaugh started the game but failed to get out of the first inning. He lasted two-thirds of an inning, throwing 27 pitches, walking three batters, and giving up one run (unearned). Bryan King also struggled, giving up four hits, two earned runs, and recording one out. Houston’s first two pitchers combined for three outs while throwing 49 pitches.
BIG NUMBER II: 13
The two teams both went with the bullpen approach and combined to throw 13 different pitchers, with Houston leading the way by utilizing eight different arms in the game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: NELSON VELAZQUEZ
In a game that lacked hitting for the Astros, Velazquez brought the fans inside Daikin Park to their feet on Tuesday afternoon. In the bottom of the fifth, Velazquez pinch-hit for Taylor Trammell and blasted a pitch from Sean Newcomb into the left-field stands for a two-run home run. It was the first pinch-hit home run by an Astro in the postseason since 2005.
UP NEXT: Houston (0-1) will take on Chicago in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. and can be heard live on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.