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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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
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