# Grant Taylor Fires White Sox in Game 1

> Grant Taylor secures White Sox playoff win with career-best 54-pitch outing in AL Wild Card Game 1.
- Title: Grant Taylor Fires White Sox in Game 1 · Mlb | Shortify
- Summary: Grant Taylor secures White Sox playoff win with career-best 54-pitch outing in AL Wild Card Game 1. Grant Taylor struck out Yainer Diaz to preserve White…
- Keywords: grant taylor, white sox, astros, al wild card series, game 1, career-high 54 pitches, yainer diaz, reliever, sports, Grant, Taylor, Fires
- Source: Mlb — https://mlb.com/news/grant-taylor-hagen-smith-step-up-in-white-sox-al-wild-card-win
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: grant taylor, white sox, astros, al wild card series, game 1, career-high 54 pitches, yainer diaz, reliever, sports
## Game 1 tension
Houston had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning of AL Wild Card Series Game 1.
## Taylor's challenge
Grant Taylor, the White Sox's most dominant reliever, faced Yainer Diaz with a potential game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth.
## Diaz strikeout
Diaz took a called third strike on the seventh pitch after six pitches in the at-bat, ending the potential game-tying threat.
## Taylor's pitch count
Taylor threw a career-high 54 pitches in 2 1/3 innings to strike out five batters and secure White Sox's first playoff win since 2021.
## Taylor's confidence
Taylor said he felt good and would pitch in Game 2 if he could give the team everything he had.
## Team support
Manager Will Venable called Taylor's performance 'heroics' and said he was trusted to shut down the Astros with runners at second base.
## Key takeaway

Grant Taylor struck out Yainer Diaz to preserve White Sox's 6-3 win over Astros in AL Wild Card Series Game 1.