Astros at White Sox
Following a long stretch during which their offense was inconsistent at best, the Houston Astros have unlocked their run-scoring potential during their seven-game road trip. Riding the powerful bats of George Springer and Carlos Correa, the Astros eye a fifth straight victory on Saturday, when they visit the Chicago White Sox for the middle contest of their three-game series.
Houston won only four of 10 games following a 6-1 start, in part because its offense scored three runs or fewer six times from April 6-16. The Astros still were scuffling at the plate in a 2-1 loss at Seattle on Monday to begin their trek, but they have progressively scored more runs in each contest during their four-game winning streak, topped off by a 10-0 rout of Chicago in Friday's series opener in which Springer drove in four runs and Correa clubbed two homers. Whereas Houston has outscored its opponents 30-4 during its winning streak, Chicago has been outscored 44-14 (11 of which came in one game) during its five-game slide. The White Sox have dropped 10 of 11 overall but may have other things on its mind entering the weekend, however, as reliever Danny Farquhar was taken to the hospital after passing out in the team's dugout Friday following a short relief appearance in the sixth inning.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest Plus (Houston), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (0-3, 3.52 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (0-2, 5.50)
Keuchel took a hard-luck loss Monday in Seattle after permitting two runs and six hits in eight frames. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his four turns, but Houston has been held to fewer than two runs in three of them. Jose Abreu is 6-for-15 with two homers versus Keuchel, who gave up 10 runs over as many innings in a pair of losses to the White Sox last season to fall to 2-4 with a 4.12 ERA in seven career starts against them.
Control remained an issue for Giolito in a loss at Minnesota on April 12, as he walked a season-high five batters to go along with the four runs - three earned - and five hits he gave up across 6 1/3 innings. The former Washington farmhand has issued 12 free passes and recorded only eight strikeouts in his three turns spanning 18 frames. Giolito took the loss in his only career start versus the Astros in September despite yielding two runs over 6 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago reported Farquhar was conscious when he was taken from Guaranteed Rate Field to the hospital, where he is expected to remain overnight to undergo further treatment and testing.
2. The Astros' 10 runs on Friday were only six fewer than their combined total in six games versus the White Sox last season.
3. Houston has held the opposition to two runs or fewer in 13 of its 21 games and leads the majors with a 2.45 ERA.