05/23/19 11:27:00
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05/23 23:25 CDT Giolito spins 4-hit gem, White Sox blank Astros 4-0
Giolito spins 4-hit gem, White Sox blank Astros 4-0
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Lucas Giolito was forced to speed up his pace near the end of
his last start for the Chicago White Sox because of rain. The results were so
good he decided to try it again Thursday night against the Houston Astros, even
though there was no need to rush in the climate-controlled confines of Minute
Maid Park.
The tactic certainly paid off.
Giolito pitched a four-hitter for his first major league shutout, rookie Eloy
Jimnez hit his third homer in two games and the White Sox beat the Astros 4-0.
"In the last game in the fifth inning, I really picked up the tempo because it
started raining," he said. "I was like, why not just try and do that every
time? So I was just getting in attack mode early, filling up the zone, and
luckily I had my good stuff and we were able to mix sequences really well. It
was a good one."
Chicago manager Rick Renteria was asked what superlative he would use to
describe Giolito's performance.
"Every one that's in your book that you can put on a page," he said. "If there
was 1,000 of them, use all 1,000."
Yon Moncada had an RBI double and Tim Anderson added a run-scoring single for
the White Sox, who earned a four-game series split by handing Houston its first
set of consecutive losses since May 1-2.
Giolito (6-1) struck out a season-best nine and walked one in winning his
fourth start in a row and fifth straight decision.
"He was doing really anything he wanted to," Houston manager AJ Hinch said. "He
was really good, so hats off to him for coming in and throwing all of his
pitches for strikes. He's changed his delivery, his arm action a little bit. He
came in and really commanded the game from the very beginning."
It was the first nine-inning complete game by a White Sox pitcher since Chris
Sale beat Kansas City 7-4 in September 2016, and their first complete-game
shutout since Sale threw a two-hitter in a 1-0 win at Tampa Bay on April 15,
2016.
In his previous outing last Saturday, Giolito was credited with his first
career complete game when he beat Toronto 4-1 in a game called after 4 innings
because of rain. After that one, the 24-year-old right-hander said he didn't
consider it a complete game until he went nine innings.
Didn't take him long to check that box, too.
Giolito threw 82 of his season-high 107 pitches for strikes against a
first-place team that began the day leading the majors with an .860 OPS and had
homered in 19 consecutive games.
All the hits Giolito allowed were singles. Previously, his longest start was 7
1/3 innings.
"The Astros are a team I always look forward to facing," Giolito said. "A lot
of good hitters in that lineup. It's always a fun challenge. They won a World
Series a couple of years ago so when you do well against them, it makes you
feel pretty good about yourself."
Jimnez, who was 0 for 7 in the first two games of the series before hitting
two homers in a win Wednesday night, connected off fellow rookie Corbin Martin
(1-1) for a solo shot in the fourth inning that made it 4-0.
Martin gave up six hits and four runs over 3 1/3 innings in his third career
start.
Yolmer Snchez, who had three hits, doubled to start the third before Martin
walked Charlie Tilson. Moncada followed with an RBI double to put Chicago up
1-0. A single by Anderson came next to score Tilson. Moncada scored on an error
by Martin when his pickoff attempt to first was high.
Missing injured sluggers Jose Altuve and George Springer, the Astros couldn't
get anything going on offense. Their streak of 19 straight games with at least
one home run was tied for the longest stretch in franchise history.
Michael Brantley hit his second single for Houston with two outs in the sixth.
Giolito retired Carlos Correa to end that inning and pitched a perfect seventh
before Max Stassi singled to start the eighth. Giolito struck out Jake
Marisnick and Josh Reddick before Alex Bregman lined out to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: Springer, who has missed the last four games with stiffness in his
lower back, took batting practice on the field and will likely return Friday
night, Hinch said. ... Altuve (hamstring) continues to make improvement but
there still isn't a target date for his return.
TOUGH ON RIGHT-HANDERS
Anderson had two hits and a walk and is batting .344 against right-handers,
which leads the AL.
THEY SAID IT
Jimnez on hitting three home runs in two games: "It's been good. It means a
lot. It's more fun coming (to the park). It's just the beginning of something
good."
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (3-4, 5.14 ERA) starts Friday when Chicago opens
a three-game series against the AL Central-leading Twins. Lopez has been strong
in his last three starts, posting a 2.29 ERA.
Astros: LHP Wade Miley (4-2, 3.51) is scheduled to start Friday in the opener
of a three-game series with Boston. He didn't factor in the decision last time
out when he allowed seven hits and three runs --- two earned --- in five
innings of a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.
___
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