The Chicago White Sox, after edging the host Houston Astros 5-4 on Friday to open a three-game weekend set, will look to seal their first series win since June when the teams face off on Saturday. The Friday result ended the Astros' eight-game winning streak. White Sox ace Garrett Crochet dominated despite working with a restrictive pitch count.
He threw just 55 pitches while striking out nine batters over four innings of one-run ball. "We're trying to keep him on a set limit and protect him as much as we can, especially moving forward," White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said of Crochet, whose 124 2/3 innings this season are more than double his previous major league high. Chris Flexen (2-11, 5.
34 ERA) is scheduled to start for the White Sox on Saturday. The right-hander is 0-8 with a 5.79 ERA and an .
869 opponents' OPS over his last 17 starts, with the White Sox losing each game. Flexen earned his last victory on May 8 against the Tampa Bay Rays, when he allowed one run on three hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over six innings in a 4-1 road win. Flexen is 1-6 with a 4.
37 ERA over 10 career starts against the Astros. In his only appearance against Houston this year, Flexen did not factor into the decision of a 5-3 home loss on June 20 after allowing one run on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts over six innings. Right-hander Hunter Brown (10-7, 3.
96 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros. He matched his season high of nine strikeouts against.