‘We don’t need boos’: Astros players frustrated as own fans turn on them in playoffs

• Houston announce crowd of 34,011 for playoff opener

• Players criticize boos during 6-3 defeat by White Sox

• Astros are first division winner with .500 or worse mark

The crowd at Daikin Park was surprisingly sparse as the Houston Astros - baseball's first division winner with a .500 or worse record - opened their AL wildcard series with a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

Large swaths of seats, especially in the upper deck, sat empty while right-hander AJ Blumbaugh delivered the game's first pitch at 4.10pm. The bottom two levels were much fuller than the upper deck, but many seats in the lower two decks were also empty.