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Correa records first HR in loss
Top prospect Carlos Correa connected on a two-run shot, his first big league home run, during the bottom half of the ninth with his team trailing by four runs. The Chicago White Sox would eventually hold on, defeating the Houston Astros by the final score of 4-2, clinching the series and handing them their sixth straight loss.
First baseman Chris Carter led off the inning with a double to right field on the second pitch of his at-bat, putting himself into scoring position with Houston’s phenom due up next.
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Chicago opened things up thanks to their second-year man, Jose Abreu more than halfway into the game. Abreu, 28, launched a two-run shot to right-center off starter Dallas Keuchel, giving his team the late 2-0 lead.
Keuchel (7-2, 1.90 ERA) was on the losing end of the decision, holding the White Sox to only two runs on seven hits with two walks and five whiffs in seven innings prior to handing things over to Chad Qualls. While things weren’t all that bad for Keuchel, things continued to go south for the 36-year-old veteran reliever.
Rookie pitcher Carlos Rodon worked one of his best outings of the season, working six scoreless innings while picking up the win. Rodon (2-0, 2.66 ERA) held Houston to only six hits while issuing two walks and recording five strikeouts.
Outfielder Melky Cabrera extended Chicago’s lead to 4-0 on an RBI double to left field off Qualls during the bottom half of the eighth, driving in both Avisail Garcia and Abreu.
Shortly after Correa brought his team within just two runs, it was up to the rest of the guys in line to help keep this rally train going on the South Side of the Windy City. Reliever David Robertson ended up replacing Zach Duke, having to face Hank Conger, Luis Valbuena, and Colby Rasmus.
Conger would follow things up with a single to right field with no outs, giving George Springer the opportunity to do some damage later on if they were able to avoid the double play ball.
After working a four-pitch at-bat, Valbuena flied out to Garcia in right to record the first out in the final inning. Rasmus followed that up with a three-pitch strikeout of the swinging variety. Garcia had his work cut out for him, recording the final three outs as Robertson got Springer to fly out to right field as well.
Houston will call upon another prospect in Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to start opposite Jose Quintana (2-6, 4.28 ERA) in the series finale.
Will the Astros be able to end their six-game skid?