LDN - Sports

Four relievers back McHugh as Astros top White Sox

[September 20, 2017] HOUSTON -- With the Astros having already lost Carlos Correa and Jake Marisnick to significant thumb injuries this season, the last thing Houston manager A.J. Hinch wanted to see was All-Star center fielder George Springer putting his hand at risk on a daring play at the plate.

When Springer emerged no worse for the wear, the smiles everyone shared were a bit tenuous.

Jose Altuve matched his career high for home runs, a four-man bullpen turned in an exceptional performance, and Springer produced an insurance run with his hustle in the Houston Astros' 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.

Altuve smacked an opposite-field homer off White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (2-3) with one out in the fourth inning, pulling the Astros even at 1-1 with his 24th dinger. Altuve smashed 24 home runs last season en route to a third-place finish in the American League MVP balloting.

Three batters later, Houston moved ahead for good when Alex Bregman followed a Marwin Gonzalez single with a double to the left-center-field gap. Gonzalez scored from first on the hit.

In the bottom of the eighth, Springer laced a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Josh Reddick, then scored on an Altuve groundout to Chicago third baseman Yolmer Sanchez.

Springer was initially ruled out on the play by plate umpire Mike Everitt, but Hinch challenged the call, which was overturned following a review of 1 minute, 57 seconds.

"I told him I was proud of his hustle but don't ever do that again until October," Hinch said of the headfirst slide Springer executed to get his left hand under the tag of Chicago catcher Kevan Smith. "I don't need to see that again. Excellent play in itself. I'd like him not to do that."

Said Springer: "He told me just to be smarter. I get it. But these games still count, and it's hard to not play hard. I'll just be smarter. I'll try not to do it again, but I can't make any promises."

Giolito allowed two runs, seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.

"I felt OK," said Giolito, who remained winless on the road in his young career. "It was similar to the last game (against the Kansas City Royals). It was a grinder game. I was having a lot of trouble getting the ball to my extension side, both the slider and the fastball. That kind of came back to bite me a couple times."

Astros right-hander Collin McHugh (3-2) pitched well after leaving his previous start early and missing time with a right middle finger avulsion. He allowed one run and five hits with five strikeouts and a walk over five innings. However, it was the parade of four right-handed relievers who excelled.

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White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (27) reacts after a play during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Will Harris, Luke Gregerson and Chris Devenski combined to record six strikeouts over three hitless innings. Astros closer Ken Giles worked around a leadoff single by White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson in the ninth, striking out the side to notch his 32nd save.

The White Sox (60-90) had won five consecutive games in the season series.

McHugh, making his first start since Sept. 8, was as solid as could be expected given the layoff.

He worked around a spot of trouble in the first, stranding a pair of baserunners in the process, and retired the side in order in the second before Jose Abreu smoked an RBI double to left that scored Yoan Moncada with two outs in the third. Moncada had singled before stealing second base.

"It was all good today," McHugh said. "I didn't have any issues, and I didn't think about (the finger) when I was out there. Mentally getting over that was probably the biggest part."

NOTES: Astros RHP Lance McCullers is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, another step in his ongoing rehab for arm fatigue. McCullers has pitched only once since being activated from the 10-day disabled list Sept. 6 after missing 34 games with back discomfort. ... White Sox RF Avisail Garcia, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, entered the series leading the majors batting .446 against left-handers. He is aiming to become the first Chicago player since at least 1974 to lead the majors in average against southpaws and the first to pace the American League since Frank Thomas batted .407 against left-handers in 2000. ... In order to keep LHP Dallas Keuchel and RHP Justin Verlander on their normal schedules, Houston RHP Charlie Morton had his next start pushed back three days to Saturday.

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