Astros, White Sox open 4-game series between division leaders

Emblematic of a season that finds them one game over .500 with one month left, the Houston Astros followed a dismal nine-game homestand against three divisional foes with losing records by winning back-to-back road series in New York against the Yankees and Mets.

The Astros claimed the rubber match of their series against the Mets with a 6-3 victory on Sunday to maintain their two-game lead in the American League West over the Texas Rangers.

Houston will open a seven-game homestand on Monday night with a matchup against the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a four-game series against the AL Central leader.

The Astros followed their 3-6 homestand with a 4-2 road trip in New York.

"We're trying to win every ballgame any way we can, and I think our starting pitchers have been doing a great job of giving us an opportunity to go out there and score enough runs to be able to win those ballgames," Astros center fielder Daulton Varsho said.

The Astros secured what they hope is a boost to their pitching staff by luring former pitching coach Brent Strom out of retirement last week. Strom previously spent nine seasons (1996, 2014-21) with the Astros and will serve as a pitching consultant for the rest of the season. Houston enters play on Monday ranked 24th in the majors in ERA (4.62) and 28th in walk rate at 4.14 per nine innings.

"I'm looking forward to what he brings to the table," Astros right-hander Hunter Brown said of the 77-year-old Strom. "He's got a heck of a resume and a ton of knowledge, so I'm looking forward to that.

"Excited to get under the hood and see what he has for me."

Right-hander Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.66 ERA) will start the series opener for the Astros. He is winless over his past eight starts (0-2, 4.71 ERA), including a no-decision in the Astros' 9-3 loss to the Yankees last Wednesday, when he allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

In his lone career start against the White Sox, Lambert allowed one run on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings in a 14-1 win while pitching for the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 18, 2023.

Left-hander Anthony Kay (9-6, 4.09 ERA) will start for the White Sox on Monday. He did not factor into the decision in an 11-7 win over the Rangers last Tuesday after allowing four runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.

Kay has faced the Astros just once in his career and has an 11.57 ERA. He pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in that game on May 8, 2021, when he allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings of relief.

The White Sox let a potential series sweep of the Minnesota Twins slip away with a 5-1 road loss on Sunday. Chicago saw its four-game winning streak snapped, and its lead in the AL Central narrowed to 3 1/2 games over the second-place Cleveland Guardians. The White Sox have won 13 of their past 21 games.

After losing 100-plus games in each of the past three seasons, the White Sox are well ahead of schedule in their rebuild, led by a group of young players but with veterans Andrew Benintendi and Randal Grichuk making big contributions. Still, despite their youth, the White Sox are aware of the significance of the final month of the season.

"These games are going to determine (the postseason participants) late in September, when it really comes down to the wire," said White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, who is 24 and in his second season. "We're just taking it day by day. We're coming in, we're grinding, and we're just going out trying to win."

--Field Level Media