HOUSTON — Astros rookie Robel Garcia tied a career high with three RBIs, Carlos Correa homered and Houston beat Lance Lynn and the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Saturday night.
Framber Valdez (4-0) had another strong start to help the Astros to a sixth consecutive victory, tying their longest winning streak this season.
The Astros tagged Lynn (7-3), who entered with a 1.51 ERA, for eight hits and six runs — both season highs — in four innings in his shortest start of the season. Five of the runs were earned, which was also the most he’d permitted this season.
Valdez yielded six hits and three runs — two earned — in seven innings to extend his career-best streak by winning his sixth consecutive decision dating to last season.
Things went wrong for the White Sox almost immediately. Jose Altuve singled and advanced to second on an error by third baseman Yoán Moncada when he badly overthrew first base to start Houston’s first. A single by Yuli Gurriel with one out sent Altuve to third, and he scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.
There were two outs in the third when Adam Engel singled to right field. He scored when Moncada smacked a double to left field to tie it at 1-1.
Altuve got things going in the third on a double with one out. Brantley followed with an RBI single to put Houston on top 2-1.
There were two outs in the inning when Yordan Alvarez singled before Lynn walked Correa to load the bases.
Garcia, starting in place of injured third baseman Alex Bregman, sent a fastball from Lynn on a full count to the warning track in right field to clear the bases and extend the lead to 5-1.
Houston added a run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Brantley with two outs.
Andrew Vaughn hit a solo homer to start the seventh and get the White Sox within 6-2. Danny Mendick singled with one out in the inning and scored from second with two outs after a wild pitch by Valdez and an error by catcher MartÃn Maldonado.
Correa hit a solo homer in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: Vaughn was back in the lineup a night after leaving when a ball bounced and hit him in the face as he was sliding into second base. Manager Tony La Russa said Vaughn was better on Saturday but that he’d likely end up with a black eye from the hit.
Astros: Bregman, who was placed on the injured list with a strained left quadriceps on Thursday, said he was feeling better Saturday but that he isn’t sure how long he’ll be out. … OF Kyle Tucker, who is on the injured list due to health and safety protocols, has been cleared to return to the team, but manager Dusty Baker said he probably won’t be activated until Monday.
UP NEXT
Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel (6-1, 3.78) will make his first career start against the Astros, where he played from 2012-2018, winning the AL Cy Young award in 2015. Keuchel will oppose Lance McCullers (3-1, 2.89), one of his closest friends from his time in Houston, as the Astros look to complete the four-game sweep.
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