CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Rodón allowed one hit through seven dominant innings, Yoán Moncada and Tim Anderson hit solo homers and the Chicago White Sox topped the Houston Astros 4-0 on Sunday.
Danny Mendick and Adam Engel added RBI singles, and the White 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. Chicago has 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 the game Tuesday 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 one-hitter.
Framber Valdez (5-2) yielded four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.
Mendick’s single with two 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.
LONG DUEL
José Altuvé battled Rodon though a 10-pitch at-bat before flying to center for the third out in the sixth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Pedro Báez (shoulder soreness) will make a second rehab outing with Class A Fayetteville on Sunday, then travel to Houston to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday, manager Dusty Baker said. Báez could then be assigned to Triple-A Sugar Land. … INF Aledmys Díaz (fractured left hand) will move from the rookie level Gulf Coast League to Double-A Corpus Christi next week to continue his rehab.
UP NEXT
Astros: Cleveland RHP J.C. Mejia (1-4, 7.42) is expected to face RHP Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.59) in Houston on Monday.
White Sox: Chicago hosts Minnesota in a doubleheader Monday. The Twins start RHP Griffin Jax (1-1, 8.66) in the first game and RHP José Berrios (7-3, 3.48) in the second.
AL ERA leader Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.99) will start one game for the White Sox, his first outing since signing a two-year, $38 million contract extension. The White Sox were expected to name the other starter following Sunday’s game.
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