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, 2-0. Composite Getty Image.
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.
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Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.
Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.
Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.
Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.
The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.
Key moment
Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.
Key stat
The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.
Up next
RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.