Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown rebounded from a shaky second inning to strike out seven batters and anchor a 6-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Daikin Park, according to game reports. Brown recovered after allowing four soft singles and two runs in the second frame, retiring 11 of the final 12 hitters he faced to complete six strong innings.
Hunter Brown Resets After Rocky Second Inning Against White Sox
The White Sox pieced together four singles with an average exit velocity of 80 mph in the second inning, forcing Brown to throw 28 pitches and knot the score at 2-2. According to Brown, he was unhappy with the frame and felt he was better than the soft contact he yielded. “Honestly, I was kind of dragging my blanket a little bit after the second inning,” Brown said, as reported from the game. “I couldn’t believe that. I’m better than that, than to do that. That was unbelievable, honestly.”
Following a leadoff infield hit by Miguel Vargas and a walk to Andrew Benintendi in the third, Brown altered his approach. He struck out the final three hitters of the third frame, needing only 32 pitches across the final three innings after throwing 69 in the first three. According to Astros manager Joe Espada, Brown found a different gear once he escaped the third-inning jam. “He just went off and said, ‘I’m going to maintain this lead,'” Espada said. “You just saw a completely different demeanor out of him once he got out of that jam in the third.”
Astros Push Forward in American League Playoff Picture
Houston’s offense backed Brown by exploding for four runs in the third inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Isaac Paredes, a two-run triple by Varsho, and an RBI single from Christian Walker. Jose Altuve opened the scoring in the first inning with his 270th career home run off Luis Castillo, putting the Astros ahead 2-0. With the victory, the Astros took three of four games from the American League Central-leading White Sox.
Did you know?
The Astros improved to 28-18 against teams with a .500 or better record, moving within 1 1/2 games of the No. 2 playoff seed in the American League, which carries a bye into the Division Series.
The Astros stand at 72-69, sitting 2 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Texas Rangers and 5 1/2 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, pending results. According to Espada, the team must maintain its urgency as the schedule tightens. “I want to see that urgency, and I think our guys are starting to keep the pressure on those games,” Espada said. “We’ve still got baseball to play. I don’t want to get complacent. We’ve just got to continue to play well.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Hunter Brown’s final stat line against the White Sox?
According to game records, Hunter Brown pitched six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven batters on 101 pitches.
How do the Astros secure the No. 2 seed in the American League?
According to league rules, the division winner with the second-best record secures the No. 2 seed in the AL, which includes a bye directly into the Division Series.
What upcoming series do the Astros face?
According to team schedules, the Arizona Diamondbacks visit Houston for a weekend series, followed by road series against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays.
What are your thoughts on Hunter Brown’s mid-game turnaround and the Astros’ postseason push? Join the conversation by dropping a comment below, and subscribe to our newsletter for more daily updates on the American League playoff race.