HOUSTON — The White Sox’ season is one loss away from being done.
The Houston Astros, overcoming a 4-2 deficit with two runs in the fifth against starter Lucas Giolito and five runs in seventh against the Sox bullpen, put the Sox in a 2-0 hole with a 9-4 victory in the best of five American League Division Series Friday at Minute Maid Park.
“Our back is to the wall right now,” shortstop Tim Anderson said.
Yordan Alvarez’ RBI single in the seventh inning against left-hander Aaron Bummer broke a 4-4 tie, and Carlos Correa’s two-run double and a two-run homer by Kyle Tucker against Craig Kimbrel were the big blows in the Astros’ seventh.
Leury Garcia, who moved to right field from second base after second baseman Cesar Hernandez pinch hit for right fielder Adam Engel, spun around beneath Correa’s liner that bounced to the wall for extra bases. The Astros, by contrast, played pristine, at times sensational defense, getting big plays from Correa at shortstop, Jose Altuve at second base, Yuli Gurriel at first base and Tucker in right field.
“They’re really good,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said of the Astros. “I thought we played really well but they played better.
“I give our club a lot of credit. We were right there. We played as hard as we could and good as we could.”
The Sox grabbed their first lead of the series in the first against Astros lefty when Robert scored on Eloy Jimemez’s fielder’s choice ground ball to second baseman Jose Altuve, whose diving stop prevented a two-run single with the bases full.
The Sox scored three in the fifth, knocking out lefty starter Framber Valdez with singles by Leury Garcia, Tim Anderson and Luis Robert (RBI). Jose Abreu singled against reliever Yimi Garcia and Robert scored on Yasmani Grandal’s sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead.
After striking out the side in the first inning, things got rocky for right-hander Lucas Giolito, who walked five batters and allowed four runs on three hits over 4 1/3 innings.
An RBI single by Kyle Tucker and sacrifice fly by Chas McCormick in the second erased a 1-0 Sox lead.
Leading 4-2, Giolito walked two of the three batters he faced in the fifth and was pulled in favor of left-hander Garrett Crochet, who walked Yordan Alvarez to load the bases before giving up a two-run, tying single to Yuli Gurriel.
The series shifts to Guaranteed Rate Field Sunday for Game 3. Game 4 is Monday in Chicago, if necessary.
“They beat us there two out of three in Chicago, so we have work to do,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said.
“We have to win three games in a row,” Giolito said. “It wouldn’t be the first time that happened.”
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