GArcía and Grandal homered, and Grandal’s base run helped the White Sox to outscored the Houston Astros 12-6 Sunday night to stay alive in their American League Division Series.
Backed by A boisterous crowd of 40,288, the AL Central Champs erased a 5-1 deficit in the first playoff game at home to the franchise in 13 years, cutting Houston’s series lead to 2-1. Tim Anderson had three more hits, and Ryan Tepera started a stellar finish for Chicago’s bullpen after Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech (1-0) battled.
Houston was hoping to break through in its fifth straight appearance in the American League Championship Series. The champions of the West Division of the American League They got off to a fast start behind Kyle Tucker, but failed to record a hit in the last five innings.
“I think we made a statement,” Grandal said.
Game four of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Monday afternoon, but rain is forecast.
The Astros, proven in the playoffs, came to Chicago after a pair of impressive home wins, then jumped to a 5-1 lead in Game 3. Sweet Tucker hit a two-run double off Cease in the second and a two-run double. Kopech’s home run in the third.
Houston’s quick start silenced the towel-waving crowd, but picked up speed again in the lower half of the third.
After a two-run shot from Grandal just over the wall on the left made it 5-3, Yoán Moncada and Gavin Sheets reached two-out singles. Leury Garcia then looked at two balls from Luis Garcia before Astros manager Dusty Baker replaced his starting pitcher with Yimi Garcia (0-1).