Houston at Chicago (AL), 7:10 pm (CT)
TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
White Sox SBNation Blog:South Side Sox
Pitching Match
RHP Jarred Cosart (1-1 / 1.60 ERA / 1.18 WHIP) vs. LHP Chris Sale (9-12 / 3.08 ERA / 1.08 WHIP)
Preview
Remember the days when, if you wanted to, you could turn the game off after the six inning? Because, you knew the Astros would win - Lidge, Dotel, and Wagner slammed the door shut time after time. Today, it's flipped. There isn't an Astros fan that doesn't get a cold shiver down their back when Bo Porter goes to the bullpen.
At least Astros fans have one thing to look forward to - another start by Jarred Cosart. This will be his sixth road start, and eighth in total. On the road, he has a 1.36 ERA over 33 innings, walking 13 and striking out 14. Only one of his seven starts thus far hasn't been a quality start. Walks continue to be the one area in need of improvement, he has walked at least three in five starts thus far.
Cosart will be facing Avisail Garcia, who is batting .333 (18-54) against right-handers. Gordon Beckman is also batting over .300 against righties, at .315 (68-215) with 16 extra-base hits.
On the mound for the White Sox is slingin' Chris Sale. Sale had a Cy-Young level season last season, with a 17-8 record and 3.05 ERA. This season, he has a 3.08 ERA with a 12 loses already. The difference is run-support, Sale has the lowest run-support of any pitcher in the major leagues at 3.04 runs per game. That is down form 4.76 runs per game in 2012. In his most recent start, Sale gave up eight runs to the Rangers over 7.1 innings. Sale gave up four home runs in the start.
Jason Castro has continued his hot-streak, with three hits in his last six at-bats. He has also collected three walks and scored four runs. Today is Matt Dominguez's birthday, the third baseman has hit safely in five of his last eight at-bats and driven in three runs. Chris Carter has accounted for five runs batted in in the last two games.