Nelson Vel\u00e1zquez hit a two-run homer and Cam Smith added a two-run double to lead the Houston Astros to a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night in a series opener between American League division leaders.<\/p>\n
It was the fourth victory in five games for the Astros, who remained two games ahead of second-place Texas in the AL West.<\/p>\n
Houston led by one with one out in the fifth when starter Anthony Kay (9-7) walked Christian Walker with the bases loaded to make it 4-2.<\/p>\n
Trevor Richards replaced Kay with two outs and Smith doubled to left field, sending home two more runners to make it 6-2.<\/p>\n
Colson Montgomery hit his 29th homer to cut it to 6-3 in the seventh. But the AL Central leaders couldn’t muster any offense after that as they lost their second straight.<\/p>\n
The Astros took a 1-0 lead when Nick Allen scored as Yordan Alvarez grounded into a forceout in the third.<\/p>\n
Montgomery doubled to right in the fourth and the White Sox tied it on a single by Chase Meidroth. Munetaka Murakami drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to put Chicago up 2-1.<\/p>\n
Smith tripled with two outs in the bottom half before Vel\u00e1zquez homered off the wall above the seats in left field to give Houston a 3-2 lead.<\/p>\n
Astros starter Peter Lambert allowed three hits and two runs while tying a career high with five walks in 4 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
Enyel De Los Santos (3-3) walked consecutive batters to load the bases with two outs in the sixth before Bennett Sousa took over and retired pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk to end the threat.<\/p>\n
Bryan Abreu got three outs for his eighth save.<\/p>\n
Kay yielded six hits and six runs in 4 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
RHP Sean Burke (7-6, 3.32 ERA) will start for the White Sox when the series continues Tuesday night. The Astros hadn’t announced their starter.<\/p>\n
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