Houston fans made their frustration clear to the Astros after a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card, as boos echoed throughout Daikin Park.
Despite returning to the playoffs after missing out last season, the Astros drew a sparse crowd, just 34,011 attendees in a park that seats 40,963, on Tuesday afternoon. Fans were not pleased, booing the home team’s performance as Houston fell behind 3-0 after just two innings.
"It's extremely frustrating as a home player," first baseman Christian Walker told The Athletic. "We're here, playing at home; we need cheers. We need energy. We don't need boos. What purpose does that serve in that moment?”
He added that, regardless of how fans may feel, the players have battled
and given their all throughout the season to earn this opportunity, and being booed in this moment is especially disheartening.
Walker wasn’t the only player to voice his displeasure with the crowd. Astros reliever Bennett Sousa told reporters he was “pretty pissed off” when fans began booing in the seventh inning, emphasizing how tough it was to hear negativity from their home supporters during such a crucial game.
"The fans here are definitely spoiled with a lot of ALCS and World Series runs, and we have to earn that right to bring this team back to that position,” Sousa said. “That being said, when this team was in their first (playoff) series 10 years ago, Minute Maid Park was probably packed. It makes a big difference. If we were in Chicago, it'd probably be loud as s---."
With the victory, the White Sox now hold a 1-0 lead over the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card series, putting added pressure on Houston to respond in Game 2.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Astros players frustrated with fans booing in wild card loss to White Sox
