Chicago @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 6, 2018 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Houston 11

The Houston Astros possess the second-highest scoring offense in the majors while the Chicago White Sox own baseball's second-worst team ERA, and both sides have held form in four of their five meetings this season. The Astros attempt to remain perfect this season against the visiting White Sox on Saturday in the third contest of their four-game series.

Evan Gattis belted a three-run homer to cap a seven-run eighth inning during Friday's 11-4 rout as the Astros reached the 10-run mark for the third time against Chicago this season. With the exception of Thursday's series opener (4-3), Houston has won each contest by at least six runs and outscored the White Sox 42-9 overall. While the Astros' fourth straight victory allowed them to maintain a two-game lead on Seattle in the American League West, Chicago has dropped seven of nine to fall 20 games behind Cleveland in the AL Central. One thing the White Sox have been doing right lately is hitting home runs - Avisail Garcia and Daniel Palka went back-to-back in the ninth inning on Friday to give Chicago 21 blasts over its last 14 games following a stretch during which the team hit six shots in 16 contests.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH James Shields (3-9, 4.12 ERA) vs. Astros RH Charlie Morton (10-2, 2.55)

Shields has allowed a total of one run over 13 2/3 innings in his last two starts but settled for a no-decision Monday at Cincinnati, where he gave up one run in 6 2/3 frames. The one-time All-Star has permitted more than three earned runs only once in his last 10 trips to the mound, lowering his ERA by nearly 1 1/2 runs over that time. Josh Reddick is 9-for-28 with three homers against Shields, who was tagged for seven runs over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Houston on April 20.

Morton hasn't surrendered a home run in his last five trips to the mound and is coming off the first back-to-back 10-strikeout efforts of his 11-year major-league career after fanning 11 over 6 2/3 innings during Sunday's hard-luck loss at Tampa Bay. The native of New Jersey struck out 13 in his previous outing and ranks 10th in the majors with 133. Morton is 7-1 with a 2.18 ERA in 10 home turns this season and tossed seven scoreless frames to get the victory in his only career start versus the White Sox in 2015.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros 3B Alex Bregman is batting .409 with six doubles, five homers and 12 RBIs during his 11-game hitting streak.

2. Garcia is hitting .360 with seven homers over his last 11 contests.

3. Gattis has recorded 53 of his team-high 61 RBIs since May 1.

PREDICTION: Astros 8, White Sox 2