Houston leads the ALDS 1-0

Astros post dominant Game 1 win over White Sox to begin 2021 ALDS

Astros' Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa Celebrating
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Yordan Alvarez was one of

With their 95-67 record after the 162-game regular season in the books, the Astros and White Sox squared off with blank slates in a best-of-five clash to see who would advance to MLB's final four and the ALCS. In Game 1 from Minute Maid Park in Houston, the Astros capitalized on captured momentum to build and hold a significant lead, taking a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-five series.

Final Score: Astros 6, White Sox 1

ALDS Series (Best of Five): Houston leads 1-0

Winning Pitcher: Lance McCullers Jr.

Losing Pitcher: Lance Lynn

Houston strikes first

After the first six batters of the game went down in order for a scoreless first inning, the White Sox put the first runner on base in the top of the second on a one-out hit-by-pitch on Luis Robert by Lance McCullers Jr. He would still manage to face the minimum in the inning, as Robert would get caught stealing to end the frame.

The Astros had their first baserunner in the second, as well, though they did more with it. A leadoff walk to Yordan Alvarez, followed by a one-out single by Carlos Correa and then Alvarez tagging on a lineout by Kyle Tucker, put them in position to score the first run of the series. Jake Meyers delivered it, getting the RBI single to put Houston in front 1-0.

The Astros broke out for a big inning in the third, getting Lance Lynn on the ropes. Jose Altuve led things off with a walk, then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Brantley. Alex Bregman brought him home, hitting a groundball that Altuve would beat out to home as the White Sox tried to get the play to save the run but instead allowed Houston to score and left Bregman on first. He would score from there in the next at-bat, with Yordan Alvarez blasting an RBI double off the left-center wall, extending the lead to 3-0 before Lynn could finish the frame.

Runs keep coming, McCullers Jr. posts a quality shutout start

The runs continued for the home team in the bottom of the fourth, as Meyers would notch his second hit of the game with one out to start the rally. He moved to third on a two-out double by Altuve; then both scored on a two-RBI single by Brantley to make it 5-0 and knock Lynn out of the game. Yordan Alvarez made it four innings in a row with a run in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the inning with a 411-foot solo homer to center, making it 6-0.

While all the scoring was going on, McCullers Jr. was cruising on the mound. He allowed just the one baserunner in the first three innings on the hit by pitch, not allowing a hit until one out in the fourth, a single which he would erase. He worked around an error in the fifth to strand another runner, then posted a 1-2-3 sixth. He kept going in the seventh, getting a double play to erase a leadoff single, but after back-to-back two-out hits, Dusty Baker would come to get the ball from him as Phil Maton would enter to finish the inning for him. McCullers Jr.'s final line: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 104 P.

Astros take Game 1

After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, Houston turned to Kendall Graveman to navigate the top of the eighth. After two quick outs, he allowed a single and a walk, setting up an RBI single by Jose Abreu to put the White Sox on the board. Graveman would stop the threat there, getting a lineout to center to keep it a five-run lead.

In the top of the ninth, still a five-run lead, Ryan Pressly entered to try and close things out. Chicago met him with a leadoff single to start things off, but he would bounce back with two strikeouts and a fantastic play by Jose Altuve to end the game, giving the Astros a 1-0 lead in the series, with another game at home upcoming.

Up Next: ALDS Game 2 will be even earlier on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 1:07 PM Central from Minute Maid Park in Houston. It'll be another potent pitching matchup, with Lucas Giolito, who finished 11-9 with a 3.53 ERA in the regular season, on the mound for the White Sox, opposite Framber Valdez, who went 11-6 with a 3.14 ERA for the Astros.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

___________________________

Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!

https://houston.sportsmap.com/advertise

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome