Astros 10, White Sox 8
CHICAGO -- Eight years after starting the 2005 World Series at U.S. Cellular Field, the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros met in the same place on Monday night to begin another series.
This one had a lot less fanfare attached to it, though, not to mention a lot less fans.
An announced crowd of only 13,404 watched the Astros take the series opener 10-8 in a sloppy, see-saw game filled with 27 combined hits, seven homers, numerous miscues and two blown leads -- about what you'd expect from teams toiling at the bottom of their respective divisions in the American League.
After blowing a 7-3 lead, Houston came back to win in the ninth powered by back-to-back solo home runs off White Sox closer Addison Reed by Matt Dominguez and Chris Carter -- who led the Astros by going 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs.
Jordan Lyles, a starter, had to put out a bases-loaded fire in the bottom of the ninth for his first save, while David Martinez (1-0) picked up the win despite allowing three runs in Chicago's five-run fifth.
Each team started a rookie pitcher and both struggled to no-decisions.
Chicago's Andre Rienzo went six innings and gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits, three walks and two wild pitches. Among the hits were three solo home runs. When he departed, the White Sox (54-76) were leading by four.
Brett Oberholtzer's night wasn't much better for the Astros (44-86). He lasted just 5 1/3 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits - including two home runs. Oberholtzer left in the sixth with a 7-5 lead, but watched it quickly disappear after Martinez allowed three more runs on four hits and a run-scoring balk to give Chicago an 8-7 lead.
Each team's rookie right-fielder also committed ugly run-scoring errors on plays they should've made, with Chicago's Avisail Garcia letting a routine single get past him in Houston's three-run second and L.J. Hoes dropping a long fly ball hit by Gordon Beckham in the fifth when the White Sox scored twice.
NOTES: White Sox bench coach Mark Parent explained what happened Sunday when he was ejected from a game against the Texas Rangers before the first pitch. "I took the lineup card (out), we had a little disagreement, it got out of hand and he decided to throw me out," Parent said of crew chief Jerry Layne. "We had a difference of opinion right away. There were some things that happened Saturday night that I didn't like and that was about it. I pretty much knew it would happen." ... The Sox hope to get RHP Ramon Troncoso (heart tissue inflammation) back before the end of the season. ... Castro was selected the AL Player of the Week for the second time this season. ... RHP Paul Clemens will make his first major league start Tuesday for the Astros, who plan to use a six-man rotation the rest of the season. ... Injured Houston catchers Max Stassi and Carlos Corporan, both on the seven-day concussion disabled list, are scheduled to meet with a doctor who will reassess them.
