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Tuesday's series opener between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox was filled with suspense. Bases loaded situations, rookies making their first major league appearances, blow saves, and extra-inning home runs. The Astros were on the right side of the extra inning affair, this time, winning 6-4 as a result of an Evan Gattis home run.
On paper, this game looks slated for a pitchers' duel with Dallas Keuchel and Carlos Rodon on the mound. But neither pitcher was pitching at their peak at the moment.
The Astros were first to get on the board with single from Gattis, a fielding error by Tyler Saladino, and an RBI single from Jason Castro in the second inning.
Tyler White put Houston up 2-0 with the first two home runs on the night in the fourth inning.
The White Sox didn't have a hit against Dallas Keuchel until the fourth inning, that came in the form of a Jose Abreu solo home run.
The Astros loaded the bases in the fifth but Colby Rasmus wasn't able to square up a pitch from Rodon -- flying out in foul territory.
Dioner Navarro got the White Sox offense going in the bottom of the inning with a two-out double. Saladino followed with a double of his own to score one. Adam Eaton put Chicago in front with a single to score Saladino.
White tied the game back up in the sixth with his second home run of the game.
Ken Giles kept the Astros in the game in the seventh, after Keuchel walked the bases loaded. Giles struck out Jimmy Rollins and Abreu swinging to end the inning.
White put the Astros in a spot to win the game in the eighth, leading off with a double. Jake Marsinick singled over pinch runner Tony Kemp to third, allowing Jose Altuve to drive him in with a fly to center.
Luke Gregerson couldn't hold the lead for the third time in his last four tries closing the game. Austin Jackson doubled and Carlos Sanchez singled to put runners on the corners with no outs. Saladino hit a sacrifice fly to score Jackson and tie the game in the ninth.
Neither team mustered any offense in the ninth. But Houston broke through against former Astros reliever Matt Albers. George Springer reached on a single and but would able to trot home. Gattis ripped a 0-2 pitch into the left-field stands for his second home run of the season.
The White Sox mounted a comeback in the bottom of the 11th against Tony Sipp. Sanchez singled and scored on an Eaton double. But Sipp ended the game with a strikeout of Alex Avila.