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 The Chicago White Sox left-hander was dominant with 14 strikeouts --
one off a career high -- in a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros in
the opener of a three-game series.
"We just couldn't really solve Sale," said Astros manager A.J.
Hinch. "He did everything you'd expect him to do as a pitcher of his
magnitude."
Sale set a team record with another double-digit strikeout
performance and now has 49 strikeouts in his last four games,
including three straight wins.
"He was fantastic, he's really been on a roll," White Sox manager
Robin Ventura said. "What he's throwing up there numbers wise is
impressive and he's right up there with all those guys (like Hall of
Fame left-hander Randy Johnson) and the way he's finishing is (also)
right up there."
Right fielder Avisail Garcia's two-run homer in the fourth provided
the margin as the White Sox (26-30) stopped a two-game skid.
Sale (6-2) threw 119 pitches -- 84 for strikes -- while allowing
just five hits and one walk in an eight-inning outing.
It was his team-record fourth straight game with 10 or more
strikeouts and third in a row with at least 12, the first major
leaguer to do that since Pedro Martinez in 2001.
"I don't pay attention to that," Sale said. "I just try to come in
and do my job. If it's good, it's good. If it's bad, it's bad. Just
go out there with everything I've got."
Right-handed reliever David Robertson worked a scoreless ninth for
his 11th save in 14 tries.
Right-hander Lance McCullers (2-1) took the loss. He allowed three
runs on four hits over seven innings, struck out seven and walked
none for Houston (34-25).
"Our guy was good and can match up against anybody," said Hinch.
"(But) he had to be near-perfect to beat Sale."
Monday's game was held up by two rain delays totaling 1 hour, 3
minutes yet still officially finished in 2 hours, 13 minutes.
The game also featured Houston shortstop Carlos Correa's big league
debut. Called up on Monday from Triple-A Fresno, Correa batted sixth
and collected a fourth-inning RBI single.
"He handled himself as expected," Hinch said. "He's a big leaguer
from the first day and he looked the part in every facet. He makes
us better and he'll fit in nicely."
The first overall pick in the 2012 draft, Correa has batted .335
with 21 doubles, 10 homers, 44 RBIs and 18 steals in 53 combined
games between Double-A Corpus City and Fresno.
Monday's game began 25 minutes late as a fast-moving storm hit just
two minutes before the scheduled 7:10 p.m. first pitch.
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The White Sox opened a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when
designated hitter Adam LaRoche led off with a double to deep left,
reached third on right fielder Avisail Garcia's infield grounder and
scored on left fielder Melky Cabrera's single to center.
More rain arrived with two outs in the bottom of the third, leading
to a 38-minute delay.
Houston had runners on second and third with none out in the fourth
after a Cabrera error in left when he appeared to slip on wet grass.
Sale struck out the next two batters, but Correa beat out an infield
single to drive in left fielder Jonathan Villar and tie the game at
1-1.
It was the first major league hit and RBI for Correa, while Sale saw
his 22 2/3-inning scoreless streak end.
The White Sox went back up on Garcia's one-out homer to right in the
last of the fourth. Garcia's seventh homer of the season drove in
first baseman Jose Abreu for a 3-1 lead.
NOTES: SS Carlos Correa's call up wasn't the only transaction on a
busy day for the Astros, as 3B Matt Dominguez was designated for
assignment and RHP Jake Buchanan was optioned to Triple-A Fresno.
RHP Vincent Velasquez was expected to be called up from Double-A
Corpus Christi and start Wednesday's series finale with the White
Sox. ... LHP Dallas Keuchel (7-1, 1.85 ERA) starts on Tuesday
against LHP Carlos Rodon (1-0, 3.12 ERA). Keuchel is 1-0 against
Chicago this season. ... Chicago RHP Jeff Samardzija has struggled
recently but manager Robin Ventura is not concerned. "I'm not
doubting he can't right that ship and get back to the form he's used
to," Ventura said. ... The series features seven players who were
selected in the first round of the draft by their respective clubs.
INF Gordon Beckham (2008), LHP Chris Sale (2010) and LHP Carlos
Rodon (2014) were first-round picks by the White Sox. C Jason Castro
(2008), OF George Springer (2011), INF Carlos Correa (2012) and RHP
Lance McCullers (supplemental, 2012) were first-rounders by Houston.
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