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Houston Astros (17-24) vs. Chicago White Sox (24-16), May 19, 2016, 7:10 PM CDT
TV:
Online: MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790, La Nueva 94.1 FM (En Español)
White Sox SB Nation Blog: South Side Sox
Pitching Matchup
RHP Collin McHugh (4-3, 5.58 ERA, 1.71 WHIP) vs. LHP Chris Sale (8-0, 1.67 ERA, 0.76 WHIP)
Preview
The Houston Astros could sweep their first series of 2016. It could happen for the first time more than a half way through the season, probably much deeper in the season than most people expected -- but that is the case for most things positive related to the Astros.
But if the Astros hope to get a series sweep, they will need to get through Chris Sale. Sale has been the most dominate pitcher in the American League this season. Sale is the fourth pitcher in White Sox history to open the season with wins in his first eight starts of the season.
Sale is 8-0 with a 1.67 ERA, 53 strikeouts, 10 walks, and a 0.76 WHIP. He is coming off a complete game, one-run outing against the Yankees in his last start.
The White Sox ace is 3-1 with a 0.56 ERA in four career starts against the Astros with 47 strikeouts and four walks. Current Astros are batting .235 (8x34) against Sale with a .333 BABIP, 1.61 FIP, 28.2 K%, and a 7.7 BB%.
| HOUSTON ASTROS CAREER STATISTICS VS. CHRIS SALE | ||||||||||||
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Jose Altuve | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.357 | 0.400 | 0.429 | 0.829 |
| Carlos Correa | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.667 |
| Carlos Gomez | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.167 | 0.167 | 0.167 | 0.333 |
| George Springer | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.500 | 0.750 |
| Luis Valbuena | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
| Evan Gattis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Marwin Gonzalez | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Jake Marisnick | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Colby Rasmus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.667 | 0.000 | 0.667 |
Countering is Collin McHugh. McHugh was locked in as the Astros' No. 2 starter at the start of the season, but he has pitched like the team's No. 5 starter. McHugh has been serviceable but needed the offense to pick him up in his starts in 2016. He has shown positive strides in May, going 2-0 with a 4.34 ERA in three starts.
McHugh is 0-1 with a 6.75 in one career start against the White Sox, this is his first start at U.S. Cellular Field. Current White Sox are batting .229 (11x48) against McHugh with a .324 BABIP, 1.22 FIP, 28.8 K%, and 3.8 BB%.
| CHICAGO WHITE SOX CAREER STATISTICS VS. COLLIN MCHUGH | ||||||||||||
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Austin Jackson | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 | 0.375 | 0.333 | 0.708 |
| Dioner Navarro | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.400 | 0.333 | 0.400 | 0.733 |
| Melky Cabrera | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.667 | 0.500 | 1.167 |
| Matt Davidson | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 1.333 | 1.667 |
| Brett Lawrie | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.083 | 0.083 | 0.083 | 0.167 |
| Jimmy Rollins | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.200 | 0.200 | 0.400 |
| Jose Abreu | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.333 | 0.000 | 0.333 |
| Adam Eaton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |