Houston @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2013 ) Houston 3, Chi. White Sox 4

Rookie Jarred Cosart made quite an impression over his first seven major-league starts and he'll try to keep the momentum going when the Houston Astros visit the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in the rubber match of their three-game series. Cosart has the lowest ERA at this point of a career (1.60) since the Los Angeles Angels' Jered Weaver posted a 1.15 ERA after his first seven starts in 2006, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Cosart was a 38th-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2008.

Cosart will be opposed by Chris Sale, who had his three-game winning streak snapped when he was hit hard by Texas in his last outing. The White Sox rallied for a 4-3 victory Tuesday as Jordan Danks delivered a two-run single among his career-high three hits to cap a three-run eighth inning. It was the ninth victory in 11 games for Chicago, which trails Houston 4-2 in the season series and has won four of the last 13 meetings against the worst team in the major leagues at 44-87.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Houston), CSN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Jarred Cosart (1-1, 1.60 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (9-12, 3.08)

Cosart has also set team standards for lowest ERA after his first seven starts and is the first Houston pitcher since Mike Madden in 1983 to pitch at least five innings and allow three or less runs during that span. The 23-year-old, who was traded to Houston in a package of prospects for Hunter Pence in 2011, suffered his first loss when he yielded three runs and four hits in six innings of the Astros' 4-2 setback at Texas on Aug. 20. Cosart has recorded 21 walks and 21 strikeouts in 45 innings.

Sale matched a career high by allowing eight earned runs and yielded a career-high four homers in an 11-5 loss at Texas on Friday. The 24-year-old All-Star posted a 1.93 ERA while striking out 20 in 23 1/3 innings over his previous three starts, which included a victory over Detroit. Sale, who is fifth in the American League with 181 strikeouts, is 1-1 in two starts against Houston and hasn't allowed an earned run while striking out 21 in 16 innings

WALK-OFFS

1. The Astros, who are carrying 14 rookies, boast the youngest roster in the major leagues with an average age of 25.7.

2. Danks is 6-for-8 in his last four games and 14 for his last 32.

3. Houston LF Robbie Grossman went 3-for-5 on Tuesday to extend his major league-best hitting streak to 14 games. He is hitting .365 during that span.

PREDICTION: White Sox 3, Astros 2