Yoan Moncada delivered a go-ahead single with two outs in the eighth inning and Jose Abreu had three hits to help lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 4-3 victory against the Houston Astros on Tuesday.
The White Sox stretched their winning streak to five games — all on a homestand with two games remaining — as Moncada provided late-inning heroics for the second straight night.
Liam Hendriks recorded his 27th save in 30 chances. He retired the top of the Astros’ lineup in order, punctuating his outing with a strikeout of Yordan Alvarez.
Jimmy Lambert (1-2) allowed one hit and struck out two in a scoreless eighth to earn the victory. Hector Neris (4-4) was the loser, allowing a run and two hits.
Gavin Sheets tied the game with a pinch-hit, two-run double in the seventh. He advanced to third base when Houston missed the cutoff man, but he was unable to score as Justin Verlander recovered to retire the next two batters.
A pitching matchup pitting right-handers with the two stingiest ERAs in the American League matched the hype for a time.
Chicago’s Dylan Cease navigated around a pair of singles and a walk in the first two innings to hold Houston scoreless before the White Sox broke through against Verlander with a run in the bottom of the second.
Josh Harrison (two hits) delivered an RBI single, Chicago’s third hit of the inning, to put the hosts on top. Seby Zavala followed with another single, but the White Sox couldn’t add to their advantage as Verlander retired Lenyn Sosa on a popout to first base and AJ Pollock on a groundout to shortstop.
Houston used a hit parade of its own to grab the lead in the third, with Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker contributing consecutive RBI doubles.
Jose Altuve smacked a solo home run leading off the fifth; his 20th homer gave the Astros a 3-1 lead.
Cease scattered three runs and six hits in five innings, with three walks and four strikeouts. Verlander allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
Mauricio Dubon had three hits for Houston, while Bregman added two.
Astros left fielder Aledmys Diaz left the game with left groin discomfort he sustained after making a running catch in the third inning. He was replaced by Chas McCormick.
–Field Level Media
