Houston may be a problem
Sox lost 5 of 7 to ALDS opponent Astros during 2021 season
The Chicago White Sox played four games to forget when they traveled to Minute Maid Park in June to play the Houston Astros. One month later, the Sox made a statement when the Astros visited Guaranteed Rate Field.
The teams begin a best-of-five American League Division Series on Thursday in Houston.
“Obviously the ones down there didn’t go well for us,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said during a Monday conference call. “They went better right after the All-Star break, but if you look at the rosters we had in those seven games, sort of right in the midst of our injury issues. Even the three games at our ballpark, our roster is in a stronger place than it was in our first two meetings we had with them.
“But, look, that’s a very good team, obviously very well-managed and coached, and it’s going to be a good challenge here for us.”
Sox outfielders Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert missed both series because of injuries. Catcher Yasmani Grandal was unavailable for the home series.
The Astros were without third baseman Alex Bregman for all seven games.
The Sox lost five of seven to the Astros during the regular season. They were swept in the four-game series in Houston but won two of three in the first series after the All-Star break.
Here’s a review of their regular-season meetings in 2021.
At Minute Maid Park
June 17, Astros 10, Sox 2: The Astros jumped on Dylan Cease early in the series opener. The right-hander allowed seven runs (six earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 3⅓ innings.
“I wasn’t getting count leverage, and the off-speed wasn’t there like it usually is,” Cease said.
Michael Brantley hit a threerun home run in the first — the first of three homers for the
Astros.
June 18, Astros 2, Sox 1: The Sox couldn’t take advantage of early opportunities and then watched as the Astros capitalized late.
Yuli Gurriel scored from first on Yordan Alvarez’s one-out double to right in the ninth to give the Astros the win.
The Sox scored their only run in the first. They had two on with one out but failed to add on, and they also stranded two runners in the second and third.
Carlos Rodón allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks in seven strong innings.
“Overall a good night pitching,” catcher Zack Collins said. “We just have to score a little more.”
June 19, Astros 7, Sox 3: Lance Lynn hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since joining the Sox, but he surrendered four runs in the third in a third straight loss to the Astros.
“I just didn’t make the big pitch I needed to when they scored the four runs that inning,” Lynn said. “It’s that simple.”
He lasted four innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
June 20, Astros 8, Sox 2: Dallas Keuchel didn’t get out of the third in his first start against his former team.
Keuchel, who pitched for the Astros from 2012-18, allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 2 ⅔ innings.
While the Astros collected 14 hits, the Sox stumbled offensively.
Two of their three hits came during a two-run second.
“Not a lot of good, a lot of bad,” Keuchel said of the series. “Just one of those four-game series where you face a good team that’s hot and you are not really doing anything good on your end.”
At Guaranteed Rate Field
July 16, Astros 7, Sox 1: Lance McCullers limited the Sox to one run and two hits in seven innings while striking out 10. Cease allowed three runs in 5⅔ innings while striking out 10, including five straight in the first and second. All seven of the Astros’ runs came on two-out hits.
“The score wasn’t (indicative) of how competitive we were,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Cease really represented well. They had two, three balls that leave the infield that would hurt us . .... They outpitched us, but we pitched better than seven runs (suggested).”
July 17, Sox 10, Astros 1:
Lucas Giolito went the distance, allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight. He had a shutout going until a solo home run by Abraham Toro in the eighth.
Speaking of homers, the Sox hit five. Collins, Tim Anderson, Gavin Sheets, José Abreu and Jake Burger left the yard, with Burger hitting the first home run of his career.
“Being able to go (the complete game) ... I didn’t really need to, considering how prolific our offense was today,” Giolito said after the game. “Guys just mashing the ball . ... As the game went on and the pitch count was low, it was like, ‘Just keep going.’ ”
July 18, Sox 4, Astros 0:
Rodón followed Giolito’s gem with one of his own. He allowed one hit and struck out 10 in seven overpowering innings.
Yoán Moncada and Anderson homered to pace the offense.
“We needed this,” Rodón said. “We needed to take this series and prove that we can beat them and that we are just as good as them. I think that will lead into the rest of the second half. Something we can build off.”