Astros win 6th straight, outscore White Sox 27-2 in sweep

CHICAGO -- The Houston Astros are rolling into a high-profile AL West matchup at the Los Angeles Angels.

Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead single in a five-run seventh inning, and the Astros stretched their winning streak to six with a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1) allowed one run and eight hits over six innings, Evan Gattis hit his first home run of the season and the World Series champions completed a three-game sweep in which they outscored Chicago 27-2.

"When we can play all facets of the game, we are a tough team to match up with," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

Next up, a three-game series at the Angels starting Monday.

Chicago has lost seven straight games and 12 of 13, dropping to 4-14 for the season.

"When you're in the middle of a rebuild, struggling is going to happen," White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson said.

Pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick singled off Aaron Bummer (0-1) leading off the seventh to stop an 0-for-22 slide, advanced to second on Bruce Rondon's wild pitch and to third on Welington Castillo's passed ball. Altuve and Alex Bregman had RBI singles for a 3-1 lead, Marwin Gonzalez greeted Nate Jones with a two-run double and Gattis hit into a run-scoring forceout.

Gattis homered off Hector Santiago in the ninth.

White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez, who battled through a minor stomach ailment, gave up one run, four hits and four walks in five innings.

"We were hoping he could get us a little deeper, but he did a nice job of handling it for five innings against a very, very good, well-balanced major league ballclub," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said.

Matt Davidson and Yolmer Sanchez hit consecutive two-out doubles in the second.

McCullers allowed a season-high eight hits.

"A couple of the guys in some of the innings put the bat on the ball early in the zone and they found holes, but for the most part, I felt pretty good," McCullers said.

George Springer doubled leading off the fifth and scored on Carlos Correa's sacrifice fly.

FARQUHAR

Renteria said there was no change in the condition of reliever Danny Farquhar, who collapsed in the dugout during Friday's game. The 31-year-old was in critical but stable condition in the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center. The White Sox hung Farquhar's No. 43 jersey in their bullpen for the second straight day.

ONE-TWO PUNCH

Altuve has hit in nine consecutive games at the White Sox. Correa was 7 for 10 in the three-game series.

ON SECOND THOUGHT

Yoan Moncada tried to score from second on Jose Abreu's third-inning single. The initial out call by plate umpire Manny Gonzalez was upheld in a video review. "I was very confident that I avoided the tag before I tagged home plate. Apparently, it wasn't what the umpires saw on the replay."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Hinch has no concerns with reliever Ken Giles, who was out with back tightness earlier in the week. Hinch pitched one scoreless inning for the second straight day, his first appearances in six days.

White Sox: Moncada was back in the lineup, a day after leaving a game because of a sore left hamstring. "He was feeling a little uncomfortable with his leg so I made sure that we had it checked out yesterday," Renteria said. "He's doing OK."

UP NEXT

Astros: Gerrit Cole (2-0), scheduled to start Monday, has a 0.96 ERA, allowing four runs -- three earned -- in 28 innings.

White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez (0-3), slated to open Monday against Seattle, is coming off a loss to Oakland in which he allowed eight runs and eight hits in three innings.

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