McCann's grand slam carries Chicago White Sox to 13-9 win

With James McCann lighting the final fuse, the Chicago White Sox went out with a bang Wednesday afternoon.

"That was exciting," manager Rick Renteria said. "That was an exciting game for us, to be able to pull it out, as any this season.

Before embarking on a seven-game road trip that begins Thursday night against the Angels in Southern California, the Sox's offense opened up in a 13-9 win over the Astros at Guaranteed Rate Field.

With the game tied at 9-9, McCann hit a grand slam with two outs in the eighth inning. On an 0-2 pitch from Houston reliever Ryan Pressly, the White Sox's all-star catcher went opposite field over the right-field fence to decide the outcome.

"Going into the at-bat, I was just trying to get something up and elevated," McCann said. "His (Pressly's) success is no secret, he's got really good stuff. I was trying to get something up in the zone and it came on 0-2.

"I knew I got it pretty good. You just never know with the wind. Sometimes the wind is swirling out there, it knocks balls down. I hit it pretty good and am thankful it went."

After being held to 3 runs or fewer in 12 of 13 home games before beating Houston 4-1 in Game 2 of a doubleheader Tuesday night, the White Sox piled up the runs Wednesday.

In addition to McCann's clutch home run, Tim Anderson was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles and 1 RBI, Jose Abreu and Welington Castillo had 2 RBI apiece and rookie Eloy Jimenez hit his 20th home run of the season.

"Keep putting quality at-bats together, and I think it's going to happen," Anderson said after matching his career high with 4 hits.

Not only did the bats show up, the White Sox won two of three in the series from an Astros team that has serious World Series aspirations.

"It's really good because that is one of the best teams of the business right now," Jimenez said. "We compete at a high level like this today, that means a lot. That means we can do it."

Moncada update:

Out since he left a July 30 game against the New York Mets in the first inning with a strained right hamstring, White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada worked out before Wednesday's game against the Astros and then headed for a rehab assignment with Class AAA Charlotte.

"He's looking really good," manager Rick Renteria said. "(Tuesday), actually, was a really good day, he didn't complain about anything. He'll be going out to Charlotte to continue his rehab and play in a couple games, and then we'll see where we're at."

Barring any setbacks, Moncada should be ready to rejoin the Sox on Monday in Minnesota.