Takeaways from the series loss to the Houston Astros

It’s been over a month since the Chicago White Sox won a series.

That dry streak continued Thursday after a sloppy seventh inning contributed to a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros in front of 14,435 people at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox entered seventh leading 3-1 after six solid innings from starter Chris Flexen. RBI singles by Jose Altuve (off reliever Steven Wilson) and Yordan Alvarez (off Tanner Banks) tied the score. The Astros took the lead, scoring on third baseman Lenyn Sosa’s throwing error, and added another run when Jeremy Peña hit a loaded walk against Justin Anderson.

“We let one slip away today,” manager Pedro Grifol said.

The Sox, who have lost two of three to the Astros, have not won a series since winning two of three against the Washington Nationals on May 14 (doubleheader) and May 15 at home. They are 0-9-1 in their last 10 series and have only won four all season.

Here are four other takeaways from the three games at Guaranteed Rate Field.

1. Starter Chris Flexen showed his ability to rebound.

After allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Flexen said, “That’s one I’m going to try to drain.” »

He rebounded Thursday, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks in six innings against the Astros.

“It’s been a struggle here and there for the most part,” Flexen said of his 2024. “I managed to have a good one today, especially after the last one. Definitely a step forward.

Flexen has allowed three runs or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts, going 1-3 with a 4.99 ERA over that span. The run he allowed Thursday came on a first-inning home run by Alvarez.

The Astros had two runners on in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but failed to score.

“Flexen had a few hiccups here and there, but for the most part it kept us in games,” Grifol said. “It gave us a chance to win today, but I just couldn’t take it away.”

Photos: Houston Astros 5, Chicago White Sox 3

2. Garrett Crochet navigates trade speculation.

Hook learns to navigate his way through a season as a starter for the first time in the major leagues. He also discovers how to navigate business speculation.

The left-hander, who is having an All-Star caliber season, has been one of several Sox players mentioned in trade rumors.

When asked how conversations with general manager Chris Getz are going in terms of updates on the matter, Crochet said Wednesday, “I haven’t had any conversations about it, to be honest.”

Hook continues to show why he has appeared in trade rumors. He struck out eight and walked one inning of six in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss.

Crochet allowed three runs on a season-high nine hits, but still made his 10th quality start (sixth in a row). He has a 1.50 ERA in nine starts since May 1.

“You look at (Wednesday), after the 85 pitch, he’s still at 96-97 (mph), his cutter is still at 92-94,” Grifol said Thursday morning. “Not only does he have the material, but he maintains it throughout the game. What was spectacular for me was being number one, you have to understand how to be a starter and understand what you’re supposed to do, which is to take the ball in the first round and be supposed to be there in the seventh, eighth, ninth inning.

“To do this, you have to save land, you have to minimize damage, and he understands that, at a high level. And he understood it very quickly.

3. “Easy” decision made to ask Jonathan Cannon to attempt a complete play.

Grifol saw it as an “easy” decision for Cannon to return for the ninth inning on Tuesday.

“For what?” Grifol said Wednesday. “Because you have to capture these moments of development.”

Cannon came close to a complete shutout in the 2-0 victory. He retired the first two batters in the ninth before giving up back-to-back singles and leaving the game.

Cannon allowed seven hits and struck out four in 8 2/3 innings, providing the longest outing by a Sox rookie since Zach Stewart pitched a shutout on Sept. 5, 2011, at Minnesota.

He was at 93 pitches after eight and finished at 106. Grifol said a manager has to keep in mind if it’s irresponsible and reckless.

“And it wasn’t,” Grifol said. “Nineteen pitches in the first inning, averaged 10 or 12 pitches the rest of the game, had a clean eighth inning, felt strong, looked strong, wanted to be there- bottom, I had never done it before. (The Astros) won a championship a few years ago, with a (chance at) a nine-inning shutout.

“The decision is really easy. This may seem a little difficult, but it’s really easy.

4. Luis Robert Jr. is “trying to hit that pace.”

The center fielder followed up a two-hit performance Wednesday with an RBI double Thursday. He is 10-for-53 (.189) with five homers and seven RBIs since returning from the injured list on June 4.

“There were games, at bats, where I felt good even if the results were not there,” Robert said Thursday through an interpreter. “There were other games or at-bats where I didn’t feel very good. I participated in competitions, I worked hard. I’m trying to get to that pace.

The Sox as a whole are trying to do the same. They have lost 26 of their last 32 games and, at 20-56, are off to their worst start in 76 games in franchise history (previously 25-51, set in 1934 and tied in 2018).

“It’s always tough no matter how you lose a game,” Robert said. “But I also know that we are all trying to do our best. We have not been able to find this consistency.