Peacock, Gurriel lead Astros over White Sox 4-3
HOUSTON (AP) - Brad Peacock is making quite the case to be a member of the Astros rotation in the postseason.
Peacock threw six solid innings, Yuli Gurriel had three hits, including a two-run double, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to six games with a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.
Peacock (12-2) allowed two runs on one hit with six strikeouts.
"I'm just not thinking about it at all," Peacock said of his postseason role. "Whatever they decide to do, like I've said before, I'll be happy. Whether it's bullpen or starting, just to get the chance to play in the playoffs is going to be cool."
The right-hander continues to throw well, allowing two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts.
"He was good again," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I don't think he was particularly sharp, which is funny to say for a guy that gave up one hit. But he did battle through his outing and didn't give up many hard hits."
After Yoan Moncada put the White Sox up 2-1 in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer, Gurriel answered with his two-run hit in the bottom half of the inning.
Gurriel said through a translator that he saw a lot of breaking balls and made the adjustment on the last pitch.
"He's really good at making contact on the barrel with some length and the ball carries pretty far out there," Hinch said of Gurriel. "He's what they call a professional hitter and it doesn't matter what country or what level. This guy can really hit."
Jose Altuve upped Houston's lead to 4-2 with an RBI single in the seventh, but Yolmer Sanchez cut the lead to one with an RBI double in the eighth.
Joe Musgrove struck out Moncada with the tying run on second to end the eighth and struck out Omar Narvaez with the tying run on second to end the game for his second save.
"I think they've thrown the ball well," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of Houston's pitching. "I think they've come after us. They've made some plays. They've thrown the ball well. They've been able to minimize the damage."
James Shields (4-7) allowed three runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Shields has given up at least three runs in five of his last six starts.
"It was a grind day," Shields said. "I wasn't getting ahead of hitters all day long, but that's a pretty good ball club over there. . I minimized my damage as much as I possibly could today. We just came up one run short."
TRAINING ROOM
Astros: RHP Lance McCullers (arm fatigue) threw a bullpen session Wednesday. . RHP Luke Gregerson had X-rays taken on his left hand - his non-throwing hand - after taking a line drive off the heel of the hand in the eighth inning. X-rays were negative. Gregerson stayed in for two more batters before being replaced by Musgrove.
White Sox: OF Avisail Garcia left the game in the third with stomach discomfort. He was replaced by Alen Hanson.
CORREA WAITING FOR WORD
Astros SS Carlos Correa was awaiting word from his family in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island Wednesday morning as a category four storm. Correa was especially concerned about his grandmother, who he had not talked to since Wednesday morning.
"You get worried because you know it's really bad and you hear it from the news and from people how bad it's getting," Correa said. "My grandma's house is really close to the river and most likely will get flooded. It's just waiting to hear from word from her and how she's doing."
On a day where his thoughts were on his homeland, Correa wore shoes with the Puerto Rican flag on them and he wrote "Pray for Mexico" and "Pray for Puerto Rico" on his cap.
ANDERSON EXTENDS STREAK
White Sox SS Tim Anderson extended his hit streak to 11 games with a single in the eighth. Anderson hit a liner off Luke Gregerson's glove hand and beat out the throw to first.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Carson Fulmer (2-1) will make his fourth start of the season Thursday in the series finale. Fulmer earned his first career win as a starter in his last outing, allowing one run in six innings Sept. 10 against the Giants.
Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (13-4) will look to continue his strong season Thursday. Keuchel allowed one run in six innings in his last start, a win over Seattle Saturday.