Rodón dominates through 7, White Sox blank Astros
Carlos Rodón allowed 1 hit through 7 dominant innings, Yoán Moncada and Tim Anderson hit solo homers and the White Sox topped the Houston Astros 4-0 on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Danny Mendick and Adam Engel added RBI singles, and the Sox stymied Astros hitters for the second straight game after losing their first five this season to Houston - and being outscored 34-9 in those contests. The South Siders have won seven of eight to move to the top of the American League standings.
Abraham Toro's sharp single past Mendick at second in the third inning was the only hit off Rodón (8-3) and accounted for Houston's only baserunner. The big left-hander struck out 10 and walked none in this meeting of division leaders.
Rodón, who tossed a no-hitter against Cleveland on April 14, was on the AL All-Star team but didn't pitch in last week's game in Denver. He seemed to have plenty of strength in this one, reaching velocities in the upper 90s before Michael Kopech relieved and pitched a perfect eighth.
Liam Hendriks finished with a 1-2-3 ninth to complete the combined 1-hitter.
Framber Valdez (5-2) yielded 4 runs and 7 hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out 4 and walking 2.
Mendick's single with 2 outs in the second, the first hit of the game, drove in the first run.
Moncada's solo shot in the fourth made it 2-0. It was his sixth homer and first since June 3.
Anderson homered into the visitors' bullpen in right for the second straight game in the fifth. Engel drove in a run with a seventh-inning single.
O-K
Rodon reached double digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season and 11th time in his career.
José Altuvé battled Rodon though a 10-pitch at-bat before flying to center for the third out in the sixth.