The Houston Astros are fighting to keep their season alive on Wednesday, as they will take the field for a do-or-die Game 2 matchup against the Chicago White Sox. After suffering a 6-3 loss in Game 1, the Astros need to bounce back quickly, or else they will be heading on vacation much sooner than they would have liked.
Game 1 was a struggle for Houston, as it fell behind early and never managed to recover against Chicago. Late in the game, relief pitcher Bennett Sousa made the team’s rally attempt when he gave up a run in the top of the seventh inning. After facing a smattering of boos from Astros fans, Sousa labeled them “spoiled” after the game, which only landed him in more hot water. Ahead of Game 2, Sousa took a second to apologize for his controversial comments after the team’s aforementioned loss.
Bennett Sousa Addresses ‘Spoiled’ Comments After Astros’ Game 1 Loss
Sousa has been with Houston since the 2023 campaign, and after not pitching at all in 2024, he returned in 2025 and established himself as a key part of its bullpen (5-1, 2.84 ERA, 4 SV, 59 K, 1.03 WHIP). As a result, Sousa entered the new season with a big role in the bullpen, with the team having high hopes for him.
Instead, Sousa turned in a dud of a season, which continued in the playoffs on Tuesday night. In 35 appearances, Sousa posted a 1-3 record with an ugly 6.00 ERA to go along with 32 strikeouts and a 1.80 WHIP. Considering how effective he was last year, seeing Sousa take such a drastic step back was rather concerning.
While Sousa only gave up one run in Game 1, every little mistake adds up in the playoffs, and it’s safe to say that this was not his cleanest outing. After the game, his emotions boiled over in reaction to getting booed by the team’s fans at Daikin Park, which led to his eye-opening comments. With cooler heads prevailing, he apologized for his actions ahead of the team’s important Game 2 contest.
“I’m sorry for the comments I made about our fanbase. Anyone that knows me knows how much I care about this organization, this city and our fans,” Sousa said, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. “This team took me in four years ago when I was at my lowest, and they’ve seen me at my highest. I feel really bad about last night. One thing I would love for people to know is no matter how bad they feel about me or anything like that, that I’m feeling it 10 times worse.”
Astros Fighting for Their Season in Game 2 vs. White Sox
The shortened three-game wild card series brings a heightened sense of urgency with it, so it isn’t much of a surprise to see Sousa have an emotional reaction to his rough outing. At the end of the day, all the team can do is move forward now and turn its attention to Game 2.
The good news for Houston is that it will be sending its ace, Hunter Brown, to the mound for this game, as he will give the team its best shot at coming out on top in this one. The Astros have been piecing things together all season long, and they will attempt to do so one more time in an effort to force a winner-takes-all Game 3.
Key Astros Pitcher Apologizes for Controversial Comments After Game 1 Loss