WHITE SOX DEFEAT ASTROS
Astros' bats fall silent in series opening loss to White Sox
Jun 18, 2024, 9:32 pm
WHITE SOX DEFEAT ASTROS
Jonathan Cannon pitched seven-hit ball into the ninth inning in his first major league win, helping the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 2-0 on Tuesday night.
Cannon, a third-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, struck out four and walked one. He threw 106 pitches, 70 for strikes, in his fifth career start and sixth appearance overall.
Cannon received a warm ovation when he departed after Jon Singleton and Mauricio Dubón singled with two outs in the ninth. John Brebbia then retired Victor Caratini on a grounder to first for his second save of the season.
Cannon (1-1) made his debut in April, but was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte after allowing 11 runs in 13 2/3 innings over three starts. He has permitted one run and 14 hits in 18 2/3 innings since he was recalled by the lowly White Sox on June 7.
Alex Bregman and Trey Cabbage each had two hits for Houston.
The Astros played without slugger Yordan Alvarez, who is batting .365 with five homers and 15 RBIs in June. Manager Joe Espada said Alvarez was dealing with a family matter, but could be back in the lineup as soon as Wednesday.
Framber Valdez (5-5) permitted two hits in six innings, but two of his five walks came around to score. Apparently frustrated by the strike zone, Espada was ejected by plate umpire Derek Thomas in the bottom of the third.
Andrew Vaughn drove in each of Chicago's runs on fielder's choice grounders with the bases loaded, one in the third and another one in the fifth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck discomfort) was placed on the 15-day injured list, and RHP Nick Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land. ... Espada said C Yainer Diaz (right hand) “came out well” after making his first start at catcher on Sunday since June 9.
White Sox: DH Eloy Jiménez (strained left hamstring) could return next week, general manager Chris Getz said. Jiménez is on a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League.
UP NEXT
Garrett Crochet (6-5, 3.16 ERA) pitches for Chicago on Wednesday night. The left-hander is 5-1 with a 1.36 ERA in his last nine starts. Hunter Brown (3-5, 5.00) takes the mound for Houston. The right-hander has a 13-inning scoreless streak after winning each of his last two starts.
It’s starting to look like the Astros knew exactly what they were doing.
What once felt like a risky move is quickly shaping up to be a win for Houston — and maybe a defining pivot point for the franchise. In this episode, we dig into how the Astros may actually be better off in the wake of the Kyle Tucker trade, thanks to a new wave of production and smart roster-building.
Cam Smith continues to rise with another eye-catching performance, launching two home runs and making the case that he’s already ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes has quietly emerged as a legitimate successor to Alex Bregman, offering power and presence in the infield.
And while Jeremy Peña wasn’t part of the Tucker deal, his 2024 resurgence adds even more fuel to the argument that this team is thriving — not surviving. The Astros aren’t just plugging holes. They’re planning for what’s next.
We also look at the bigger picture: What if Houston had moved on earlier from other aging or underperforming stars? Could they have been ahead of the curve even sooner?
So who’s really winning this breakup — the Astros or Kyle Tucker? We break it all down.
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