Astros rally past White Sox 9-5 behind Walker, Smith

A Sixth-Inning Surge Changes the Game

Houston Astros players delivered a decisive offensive explosion in the sixth inning, outscoring the Chicago White Sox 8-0 to secure a 9-5 victory at Rate Field on Friday, July 24, 2026. The win improved the Astros' record to 51-54, while the White Sox dropped to 54-48.

The game began with Chicago taking control. The White Sox scored three runs in the top of the first inning. C. Montgomery hit a sacrifice fly to center that allowed Antonacci to score.

B. Montgomery followed with a single to right field, bringing Murakami home, and left Vargas at third. Meidroth was hit by a pitch, allowing Vargas to cross the plate and advancing Peters to second.

Chicago extended its lead in the fifth inning. Benintendi scored on a wild pitch by Houston pitcher Kai-Wei Teng, with B. Montgomery advancing to second on the same play. Benintendi scored again on a subsequent wild pitch. Meidroth then doubled to center field, scoring B. Montgomery and making the score 5-0.

Walker and Smith Lead the Comeback

The Astros began chipping away at the deficit in the bottom of the sixth. Wade Jr. singled to right field, allowing Alvarez to score and putting Altuve and Paredes in scoring position.

The inning turned in Houston's favor when Alex Bregman (Wade Jr.) was listed, but the wire angle highlights Walker and Smith. Walker doubled to left field, driving in three runs: Paredes, Wade Jr., and Altuve. This play shifted the momentum, making the score 8-5 in favor of Houston.

Smith then homered to left field, a shot measured at 383 feet, scoring Walker and extending the lead to 9-5. Altuve reached on an infield single to shortstop, allowing Peña to score, while Paredes and Alvarez advanced. Wade Jr. walked, bringing Alvarez home, though the score remained 9-5 as the inning concluded.

Pitching Performances and Final Details

Kai-Wei Teng earned the win for Houston, pitching two innings and allowing two earned runs. He was supported by relief pitchers AJ Blubaugh, Bennett Sousa, Bryan Abreu, Steven Okert, and Josh Hader, who combined to keep the White Sox scoreless after the sixth inning. Spencer Arrighetti started for Houston, giving up three earned runs in one inning.

For Chicago, Davis Martin pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits. Bryan Hudson took the loss after giving up four earned runs in 0.2 innings. Seranthony Dominguez and Trevor Richards pitched for the White Sox, with Richards earning three strikeouts over two innings. Chris Murphy closed out the game for Chicago, allowing one earned run in one inning.

The game was played in front of 28,657 fans at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. Vázquez hit a ground rule double in the ninth inning, scoring Trammell, though the outcome was already determined. The final score stood at 9-5.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816247