HOUSTON (AP) — Colson Montgomery had two hits and two RBIs and Randal Grichuk added a two-run double to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 5-1 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Sean Burke (8-6) allowed one hit and walked four with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the win after walking a career-high eight in just three innings in his last start.
Houston's loss, combined with Texas' 8-5 win over the Athletics, cut the Astros' lead
over the Rangers in the AL West to one game.
The White Sox had runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth when Andrew Benintendi’s RBI single to right field made it 1-0. Montgomery followed with a double to score two more and push the lead to 3-0.
Chicago got another big hit with two on and two out in the seventh when Grichuk’s double made it 5-0. The White Sox had a chance to add to the lead after that, but Cam Smith robbed Tristan Peters of a homer with a leaping catch in right field to end the inning.
The Astros had just two hits — both by Taylor Trammell — when Isaac Paredes homered to left field with two outs in the eighth inning to cut the lead to 5-1.
Burke walked the first two batters before walking Trammell with two outs in the second. But he didn’t allow a hit until Trammell doubled with one out in the fifth inning.
Houston’s Ronel Blanco yielded three hits and walked three in four scoreless innings after being recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday. Kai-Wei Teng (5-7) allowed three hits and three runs in two innings for the loss.
RHP Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.86 ERA) will start for Houston when the series continues Wednesday. The White Sox haven’t named their starter.
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