Michael Brantley clubbed his third career grand slam as part of a 10-run sixth inning and the Houston Astros slugged their way to a 13-3 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday.
The Astros’ double-digit inning included seven runs that scored via three two-out home runs.
Brantley struck the decisive blow by driving a first-pitch fastball from White Sox reliever Matt Foster 369 feet into the right-field seats. The Astros chased White Sox starter Lucas Giolito (4-3) four batters earlier when Aledmys Diaz walked to load the bases.
Foster surrendered an RBI single to Chas McCormick that lifted Houston to a 6-3 lead but appeared set to limit the damage with strikeouts of Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve. Brantley then broke open the game with his first grand slam since May 11, 2018, before Yordan Alvarez chased Foster with his 18th homer immediately after Alex Bregman walked for the second time in the sixth. Kyle Tucker then greeted Chicago reliever Tanner Banks with his 13th homer.
Tucker extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a run-scoring double earlier in the sixth. Alvarez, who singled and scored on the Tucker double, also reached base twice in the frame. Houston sent 14 batters to the plate in the sixth.
Bregman and Yuli Gurriel smacked homers off Giolito in the first and second innings, respectively, with Bregman plating Brantley with his seventh home run and his first since May 23. Gurriel opened the second with his fifth homer to stretch the Astros lead to 3-0. Giolito allowed a season-high eight runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts in five-plus innings.
The White Sox, who had their five-game road winning streak snapped, rallied with a three-run third off Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (7-3). Seby Zavala (double) and Danny Mendick (single) reached before AJ Pollock drilled an opposite-field homer into the Astros bullpen in right-center field.
Valdez allowed three runs on eight hits over six innings but matched his season high of seven strikeouts.
–Field Level Media
