Chicago White Sox take 1-0 series lead after defeating Houston Astros

[p]MLB playoff openers saw the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-white-sox/SW9D1eZo/"]White Sox[/a], of whom the pope is a lifelong fan, defeat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-astros/lfZXonNq/"]Houston[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/chicago-white-sox-SW9D1eZo/houston-astros-lfZXonNq/?mid=8hNcryE5"]6-3[/a] and Riley's homer in the eighth inning giving the host Braves [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/baseball-mlb-austin-riley-homer-plays-key-role-in-atlanta-braves-win-over-philadelphia-phillies/8xdPOt4b/"]a 5-3 victory[/a] over Philadelphia.[/p][p]The White Sox posted on social media an inspirational letter received Tuesday from the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.[/p][p]"[b]I willingly invoke the Almighty's abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones[/b]," the pope wrote to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.[/p][embed guid="042f2ffd-88ef-44eb-98f7-2471a5fd1f73" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2105091453341114379?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Divine intervention or not, the White Sox dominated to seize a 1-0 lead over the host Astros in the best-of-three American League wildcard series, with the winner to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-guardians/4K05MrFG/"]Cleveland[/a] in the divisional round.[/p][p]Wildcard series openers later find [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-red-sox/zaXTinF3/"]Boston[/a] at the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-yankees/SrC4LDIT/"]New York Yankees[/a] in the AL and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-cubs/j7ZnBQFi/"]Chicago Cubs[/a] at San Diego in the NL.[/p][p]At Houston, the White Sox took the lead in the first inning when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonacci-samuel/pEaDFk7U/"]Sam Antonacci[/a] walked, reached third on an error by Astros first baseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/walker-christian/bDtjStvD/"]Christian Walker[/a] and scored on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/murakami-munetaka/Um3qc5aF/"]Munetaka Murakami[/a]'s sacrifice fly.[/p][p]Astros starting pitcher [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blubaugh-alan-joseph/rHkwlfV0/"]A.J. Blubaugh[/a] was replaced by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/king-bryan/06R20Aep/"]Bryan King[/a] after 2/3 of an inning and the White Sox took advantage.[/p][p]Chicago's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/montgomery-braden/QDpVV4a4/"]Braden Montgomery[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/meidroth-chase/4dwivX3o/"]Chase Meidroth[/a] singled to open the second inning, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/montgomery-colson/rPq2s8dk/"]Colson Montgomery[/a] was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Antonacci followed with a two-run single to left for a 3-0 lead.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/teel-kyle/va7rtFj6/"]Kyle Teel[/a] singled to reload the bases and King was lifted for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ullola-miguel/CdXjqXJE/"]Miguel Ullola[/a], who got three outs without allowing another run.[/p][p]Colson Montgomery's solo homer in the fourth gave Chicago a 4-0 lead and Meidroth's bases-loaded single in the fifth made it 5-0.[/p][p]Houston's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/velazquez-nelson/OhkLTOFq/"]Nelson Velazquez[/a] smacked a two-run homer in the fifth.[/p][p]The Astros' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sousa-bennett/6ab5dCg5/"]Bennett Sousa[/a] allowed a Sox run on a wild pitch in the seventh but an error by Chicago third baseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vargas-miguel/KWk2Y3Hq/"]Miguel Vargas[/a] in the eighth allowed a run for Houston to create the final margin.[/p][p]The Astros, 5-2 against the White Sox this year, qualified for the playoffs on the season's last day and at 81-81 had the worst record of any post-season team in history.[/p]