Chris Sale struck out 14 and the Chicago White Sox handed Houston its fifth straight loss, 3-1 on a rainy Monday night. Highly regarded Carlos Correa drove in the Astros' run in his big league debut.
Sale (6-2) became the first White Sox pitcher to fan at least 10 in four straight games, the team said in citing Elias Sports Bureau.
It was Sale's third straight game with 12 or more strikeouts. He gave up one run and five hits.
Correa, the top pick in the 2012 draft, was promoted from Triple-A and became the youngest player in the majors at 20. Batting sixth and playing shortstop, he went 1 for 4 for the AL West leaders.
In the fourth, Correa came up with runners at second and third and two outs. After a replay review, he was called safe for beating out a grounder to short.
David Robertson struck out two for his 11th save.
Lance McCullers (2-1) took the loss. He also was taken in the 2012 draft and the became close friends with Correa while they were together in the Astros' system.
Chicago Baseball
Avisail Garcia hit a two-run homer in the fourth in a game that started 25 minutes late because of rain and later was delayed for 38 minutes.
Correa was hitting a combined .335 with 10 home runs, 44 RBIs and 21 doubles with 18 stolen bases between Fresno and Double-A Corpus Christi.
Correa popped out in his first at-bat. After his single, he grounded out and struck out.
Coming off his 11-strikeout, complete game Wednesday against Baltimore, McCullers went seven innings and allowed three runs and four hits while striking out seven.
