The Astros hope to even the series with Hunter Brown on the mound. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Houston Astros (33-40, second in the AL West) vs. Chicago White Sox (20-54, fifth in the AL Central)
Chicago; Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Hunter Brown (3-5, 5.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 76 strikeouts); White Sox: Garrett Crochet (6-5, 3.16 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 116 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -116, White Sox -104; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago White Sox take a 1-0 lead into the next game of the series against the Houston Astros.
Chicago is 13-23 at home and 20-54 overall. The White Sox are 6-14 in games decided by one run.
Houston is 33-40 overall and 14-21 on the road. The Astros have a 25-4 record in games when they scored at least five runs.
The teams play Wednesday for the second time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Gavin Sheets has 14 doubles, a triple and seven home runs for the White Sox. Andrew Vaughn is 14-for-43 with a double and three home runs over the last 10 games.
Yordan Alvarez has 16 doubles, a triple and 14 home runs for the Astros. Jose Altuve is 14-for-41 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: White Sox: 4-6, .234 batting average, 3.78 ERA, outscored by six runs
Astros: 5-5, .262 batting average, 3.61 ERA, outscored opponents by five runs
INJURIES: White Sox: Max Stassi: 60-Day IL (hip), Dominic Leone: 60-Day IL (right elbow), Dominic Fletcher: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Mike Clevinger: 15-Day IL (elbow), Eloy Jimenez: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Yoan Moncada: 60-Day IL (abductor), Jimmy Lambert: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Matt Foster: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jesse Scholtens: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Astros: Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Tucker: 10-Day IL (shin), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
The Astros know how to win these games, and it shows
Jun 29, 2025, 4:28 pm
Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and Framber Valdez tossed six shutout innings, and the Houston Astros beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Sunday.
Altuve’s 13th home run of the season broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. It was his first extra base hit in 34 at bats and the Astros' only extra base hit of the game.
ALTUVE FOR THE LEAD!!!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/1rX89783yx
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 29, 2025
Valdez (9-4) struck out six while allowing five hits and two walks.
Starring The Framchise.#BuiltForThis x @budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/sNReaztMjl
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 29, 2025
Only one man reached third base against him. He exited with two on and nobody out in the seventh, but Bryan Abreu replaced him and retired Michael Busch, Vidal Bruján and Ian Happ to work out of trouble.
Abreu pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. He struck out four of the six men he faced.
Josh Hader retired the side in order in the ninth inning to convert on his franchise record 23rd straight save opportunity to start the season.
Jameson Taillon (7-6) matched zeroes with Valdez until Altuve’s home run on his 107th and final pitch of his outing. He struck out four while giving up five hits and one walk over 4 2/3 innings.
The bullpen trio of Ryan Brasier, Ryan Pressly and Brad Keller held the Astros to two hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Key Moment
Altuve’s fifth inning, two-run homer to break the scoreless tie.
Key Stat
The Astros are unbeaten in their last 11 series, dating back to May 22, going 9-0-2 in that span.
Up Next
The Cubs open a three-game series against the Guardians on Tuesday with LHP Matthew Boyd (7-3 2.65 ERA) against RHP Gavin Williams (5-3 3.68 ERA).
The Astros open a three-game series at the Rockies on Tuesday with LHP Colton Gordon (3-1 3.98 ERA) against RHP Chase Dollander (2-8 6.06 EA).
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