Springer back in lineup, but to little avail
McHugh surrenders seven runs as Astros suffer 2nd consecutive loss to White Sox
CHICAGO — Perhaps no Astros player’s absences are felt more than George Springer’s. The All-Star outfielder is not only one of the best players in baseball but also a source of energy for the American League’s best team. His presence alone alters the complexion of their lineup.
“He’s such a stable part of our team in so many ways,” manager A.J. Hinch said.
The Astros welcomed Springer back on Wednesday, activating him from the disabled list and reinserting him atop their lineup before an ugly 7-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. He went 1-for4 after missing 13 games because of a left quad injury. His return, however, proved just about the only encouraging development of the day for the Astros.
A night after Dallas Keuchel was lit up for eight runs, Collin McHugh was charged with seven, two of which scored with Francisco Liriano on the mound. The vaunted Astros offense,
meanwhile, was shut down by righthander Miguel Gonzalez, who came into the night with a 5.15 ERA.
The defeat dropped the Astros (71-42) to 11-13 since the All-Star break. They have been outscored 15-6 in the first two games of their season series against the AL’s worst team. The Astros will send Brad Peacock to the mound Thursday in an attempt to salvage the series finale. The White Sox (42-68) will counter with lefthander Carlos Rodon.
Gonzalez dominated the Astros over eight innings Wednesday. Springer led off the game with a single but was stranded on base. Over the next six frames, the Astros mustered only two singles and a double. Derek Fisher ended Gonzalez’s shutout bid with a solo homer to lead off the eighth. With two outs in the ninth, Alex Bregman doubled off reliever David Holmberg to extend his extra-base hit streak to 10 games, tying a franchise record.
McHugh matched zeros with Gonzalez for the first four innings but unraveled in a four-run fifth. Tim Anderson launched a two-run homer, and with runners on second and third, Yolmer Sanchez shot a single into left field. In a threerun sixth, McHugh was doomed by a walk, an errant pickoff throw, a single and a double.
“Some hung pitches,” McHugh said of the difference between the first four innings and the fifth and sixth. “I didn’t have any command with (my slider) all day. I hung one too many to Anderson.”
Liriano, the Astros’ lone trade deadline acquisition, was summoned to get the final two outs of the sixth but gave up a walk and a two-run single to Leury Garcia before completing the inning. The veteran lefthander, who declined to make himself available for a postgame interview, has allowed a hit and a walk in each of his three appearances with the Astros while completing only 12⁄3 innings combined.
Liriano, who had a 5.88 ERA in a starting role for the Blue Jays before the July 31 trade, has struggled in each of his three appearances with the Astros. The beleaguered lefthander has allowed a hit and a walk in each while completing only 12⁄3 innings combined.
“His mechanics are a little bit inconsistent right now,” Hinch said. “I know they’re working on a few things to try to get him to execute pitches. He’s missing arm side a lot with his fastball. He’s not able to really land his breaking ball a ton, and he’s getting burned by it. He didn’t get hit hard tonight. They bloop a hit in, and the struggles continue. He’ll figure it out. He’s been in the league a long time.”
The Astros won only five of the 13 games in which they missed Springer despite still averaging 5.15 runs. Jose Altuve, Fisher, Josh Reddick and Bregman each took turns batting leadoff in Springer’s stead. Jake Marisnick, Reddick and Fisher split center-field duties.
When Springer initially sustained the injury while playing defense July 25 in a game at Philadelphia, the Astros were optimistic he wouldn’t require a DL stint. Their opinion changed after testing him three days later before a game in Detroit. Rather than play Springer at less than full speed, they placed him on the DL that day.
Although he was eligible to return last weekend, Springer’s wait lasted until Wednesday. The Astros put him through an extensive workout Tuesday before their series opener in Chicago, after which Hinch said it was the best he had seen Springer run since spring training.
When he reported no issues Wednesday, Springer was deemed ready for insertion back atop the lineup.
“I’m happy to be back,” he said. “It’s tough just sitting around and not being able to help the team.”
Springer didn’t wait long to get back in the box score. The first to bat in the game, he dug into the batter’s box at 7:12 p.m. After fouling off consecutive pitches from Gonzalez in a 1-and-2 count, he drove a 92 mph fastball into center field for a leadoff single.
In his subsequent three plate appearances, Springer struck out looking, grounded out to shortstop, and flied out to right field. A third-inning double by Altuve marked the Astros’ only extra-base hit until Bregman’s ninth-inning double.
Bregman’s 10-game extra-base hit streak matches a franchise record set by Richard Hidalgo in September 2000. It’s the longest in the majors this season. jake.kaplan@chron.com twitter.com/jakemkaplan