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 The Astros (17-24) have won the first two games of the three-game
series to match their season high for consecutive wins. The White
Sox (24-16), despite converting their second triple play of the
season, have lost four straight games and six of their last seven.
Doug Fister (4-3) allowed three runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings
to earn the win. Luke Gregerson, who blew a save in the series
opener on Tuesday and had blown three of his past four save
opportunities, picked up his ninth save.
Mat Latos (5-1) started for Chicago and took the loss in his third
straight poor outing. Latos allowed five runs on 11 of Houston's 13
hits. He walked two and served up solo home runs to Colby Rasmus
(1-for-5) and Castro.
Chicago's Jose Abreu went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Melky Cabrera
went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.
 Trailing 5-1 after five innings, the White Sox pushed runs across in
the sixth and seventh to pull within two runs. Cabrera tripled home
Todd Frazier from first in the sixth to make it 5-2 Astros, and
Abreu's second RBI single made it 5-3 in the seventh.
That was as close as they would get thanks to Will Harris working a
scoreless eighth and Gregerson's ninth.
In the Astros' half of the eighth, Dan Jennings walked the first two
hitters he faced to bring George Springer up with a chance to extend
the lead. Instead, Springer hit into a 5-4-3 triple play to end the
inning. It was the White Sox's second triple play of the season and
second at U.S. Cellular Field. Their first was April 22 to end the
seventh inning of their 5-0 win against the Texas Rangers.
Neither starter was sharp to begin the game, with each allowing a
run in the first inning. Latos allowed a leadoff single to Altuve to
start the game, and he came around to score after a walk was
followed by Carlos Correa's single to right field.
Chicago tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the first with a run on two
hits and a walk against Fister. Jimmy Rollins' one-out double put
him in scoring position and Abreu drove him home with a single to
right field in the next at-bat.
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Fister settled into a good rhythm, but Latos continued to battle
through a tough outing. The Astros plated solo runs in the second
and fourth to build a 3-1 lead and had seven hits off Latos to that
point in the game.
Rasmus led off the fifth with a solo homer off Latos to make it 4-1
and Castro did the same to push it to 5-1 starting the sixth against
the White Sox's starter. Rasmus also saved two runs in the bottom of
the fifth with a difficult running catch to end the inning.
NOTES: White Sox 3B Todd Frazier got back into the starting lineup
Wednesday after missing the series-opener against the Astros on
Tuesday because of a stomach virus. ... RHP Nate Jones (bruised left
foot) is dealing with soreness after being hit by a batted ball in
the seventh inning Tuesday, but remains available to pitch. ...
Houston INF Marwin Gonzalez (sore foot) was not in the starting
lineup after going 0-for-5 and playing all 11 innings of the Astro's
6-5 win in the series-opening game Tuesday. ... Houston manager A.J.
Hinch is trying to get back to a five-man rotation, so RHP Chris
Devenski will be used exclusively out of the bullpen through at
least the weekend and possibly longer. ... The Astros' starters for
their weekend series against the Texas Rangers will be RHP Lance
McCullers on Friday, RHP Mike Fiers on Saturday and LHP Dallas
Keuchel on Sunday. ... Houston LF Tony Kemp and 3B Colin Moran each
made their first major league starts Wednesday.
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