HOUSTON — The Chicago White Sox were looking to get back in Monday’s game against the Houston Astros.
The Sox trailed by four runs, but had the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth inning.
The Astros turned to left-handed reliever Bennett Sousa. The Sox countered with right-handed pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk.
Grichuk put a good swing on a slider while flying out to left field.
The big hits didn’t come all night for the Sox in a 6-3 loss in front of 21,236 at Daikin Park. The Sox went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 14 on base while falling in the opener of the four-game series. They drew 10 walks and struck out 11 times in the loss.
“A couple of opportunities that we didn’t just get that big hit,” manager Will Venable said. “(Grichuk) there with the bases loaded, coming off the bench. We’ve seen him come through in that moment a few times. I thought we had good at-bats. (Houston starter Peter) Lambert pitched really well and stayed off the barrel for the most part.
“Just a tough trip around there offensively.”
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Anthony Kay throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Astros, meanwhile, made the most of some of their chances. Nick Allen reached on a throwing error by third baseman Miguel Vargas to begin the third inning. He later scored the game’s first run on a fielder’s choice.
The Sox responded with two runs in the fourth, including a bases-loaded walk by Munetaka Murakami. Vargas lined out to second with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Astros went back ahead in the bottom of the fourth, an inning that included a confusing sequence. With two outs, starter Anthony Kay’s second pitch to Cam Smith was called a ball. The Sox thought Smith had fouled the inside pitch off his bat. After the fourth pitch, a called strike, Kay asked if the count was 2-2. He was told it was 3-1.
“It was a blown call,” Venable said. “I thought the second pitch that I had it as a foul ball. I’m blocked off so I can’t really see if it’s a foul ball or hit by pitch. It was a foul ball. Once we got deeper in the count, it wasn’t the correct count. Went out there and asked and (the umpire) said he had it as a ball.
“So nothing we can do. Asked for a count check and they weren’t able to do that.”
Smith hit the next pitch to right field, just out of the reach of a diving attempt by Braden Montgomery for a triple. The next batter, Nelson Velázquez, homered, giving the Astros a 3-2 lead.
“I thought it was pretty clearly a foul ball, I’m pretty sure the umpire said foul ball,” Kay said. “And then when I threw the strike and Cam went to go walk to first, there was some discussion about it. And then, maybe it was too late to change or argue at that point.
“Kind of have to throw a ball in the zone, force some contact, I don’t want to walk him. The triple happens and stuff kind of unraveled after that.”
In the fifth inning, left fielder Sam Antonacci just missed making a leaping grab on a ball hit to the wall by Isaac Paredes. The single loaded the bases for Christian Walker, who walked to make it 4-2. Smith added a two-run double against reliever Trevor Richards later in the inning, stretching Houston’s lead to 6-2.
Kay allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.
“I thought he pitched better than the line shows,” Venable said.
Kay added: “Overall, felt like I threw the ball well. Made some really good pitches. That foul ball, no foul ball in the fourth inning changes stuff, too. Makes it 3-1 instead of 2-2. Overall, felt really good. But the results were not there.”
The Sox still trailed 6-2 when they missed out on the bases-loaded opportunity in the sixth. Colson Montgomery homered in the seventh, his 29th of the season, to cut the deficit to 6-3.
Despite some wildness, Houston held on. The first-place Sox (72-65) head into the final month of the regular season with a three-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Guardians (69-68), who were off on Monday.
“It’s going to be a grind, going through September,” Colson Montgomery said. “There’s good teams in this division. Just take it one game at a time and I think we’re in a really good spot.”