Yoan Moncada Hits Tying Homer, Winning Single As White Sox Beat Astros, 3-2
CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie Yoan Moncada tied the game with a home run in the ninth inning and then drove home the winning run in the 11th to lift the Chicago White Sox past Houston, 3-2, on Thursday night, as the American League's worst team swept a three-game series from its best.
Leury Garcia led off the 11th by hitting a single past a diving second baseman Jose Altuve, and then advanced to second after right fielder Josh Reddick bobbled the ball. Then, on the second pitch from reliever Francis Martes, Moncada knocked a single past a diving Altuve again for the game-winner.
Earlier, Moncada, the top White Sox top prospect, connected against Astros closer Ken Giles in the ninth for his second career home run. It was the third blown save of the season for Giles, who has converted 22.
Martes (4-2) struck out all three batters he faced in the 10th inning, but allowed the pair of hits in the 11th.
David Holmberg (2-3) got the last out of the 11th to earn the win. Carlos Rodon threw his third straight quality start without earning a win.
Rodon, a left-hander, tied a career-high with eight innings pitched, striking out four and allowing two runs on nine hits. Jake Petricka, Tyler Clippard, Brad Goldberg and Holmberg combined to hold the Astros scoreless over the last three innings.
Houston right-hander Brad Peacock struck out five and gave up one run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Jake Marisnick hit a home run and Marwin Gonzalez added an RBI double for the Astros, who have lost seven of their last nine games.
Down 2-0, Chicago's Yolmer Sanchez drove in Avisail Garcia on a fielder's choice in the sixth inning.
The Astros bullpen wiggled out of two jams before Giles blew the save in the ninth.
Chicago got the tying run to second base in the seventh, but Chris Devenski relieved Peacock and struck out Moncada and got Jose Abreu on an infield pop out.
Luke Gregerson allowed the first two runners to reach in the eighth inning, but struck out Sanchez and Tim Anderson and then got pinch-hitter Alen Hansen to ground out.
STARTING STREAK
Nicky Delmonico singled in the sixth inning, becoming the first White Sox player since at least 1913 to reach base safely in each of his first nine career games.
MORE MISCUES
Anderson, the White Sox shortstop, committed his 23rd error when he misplayed a routine ground ball by Gonzalez in the fourth inning.
Anderson had gone 19 games without an error but leads the majors with 23, seven more than Detroit's Nicholas Castellanos, who has the second-most errors.
Anderson started a double play on the next batter, J.D. Davis, to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: Manager A.J. Hinch said he doesn't expect any of his eight players on the disabled list to travel to the team's weekend series at Texas.
White Sox: Third baseman Matt Davidson (bruised right wrist) said he plans to swing a bat on Friday and hopes to return from the 10-day DL when the team travels to Los Angeles next week for two games with the Dodgers.
UP NEXT
Astros: The Astros will open Friday in Texas with RHP Charlie Morton (9-4, 3.78 ERA) taking on Rangers LHP Cole Hamels (6-1, 3.59).
White Sox: Kansas City comes to town for a three-game series, starting Friday with Royals LHP Danny Duffy (7-7, 3.48) taking on RHP Reynaldo Lopez, who is making his season debut
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