Kyle Tucker, Martin Maldonado and Mauricio Dubon delivered run-scoring doubles to back 6 2/3 strong innings from rookie J.P. France and lift the Houston Astros to a 5-1 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
In his second major league start, France earned his first career victory to help the Astros win three straight games for the first time since mid-April.
France (1-0) allowed one run and three hits while walking one and striking out three.
After yielding a solo home run to Chicago’s Luis Robert Jr. in the second inning, France regrouped to retire the next eight hitters. Robert snapped the run when he led off the fifth with a single; he had two of the team’s three hits.
Houston tied the game on Jeremy Pena’s sacrifice fly in the fourth. Following the Astros’ three RBIs doubles in the middle innings, Yordan Alvarez capped the scoring with a solo homer against Jimmy Lambert leading off the ninth.
White Sox starter Michael Kopech (1-4) allowed two runs on just one hit in 4 2/3 innings, but he walked six to go with five strikeouts. Tucker’s RBI double in the fifth inning was the only hit Kopech allowed.
Kopech issued leadoff walks in the fourth and fifth innings, and both runners came around to score.
The game began after a rain delay of two hours and 10 minutes. It was a mere 11 pitches old when home plate umpire Mark Wegner ejected Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker for challenging Wegner’s strike zone.
Chicago showed a tribute video for Astros first baseman Jose Abreu before first pitch, honoring the player who spent nine seasons with the White Sox in his first appearance at Guaranteed Rate Field as a visitor.
Abreu, who signed with Houston in November, lined a two-out single to center in the seventh inning and finished 1-for-5.
Chicago reinstated third baseman Yoan Moncada (back) from the injured list before the game. Moncada went 0-for-4 in his first appearance since April 9. Teammate Elvis Andrus left the game after holding his left side following an eighth-inning groundout.
–Field Level Media
