Controversial call helps sink Astros in Game 3 vs. White Sox

The White Sox put up three runs in a wild fourth inning that broke a tie as they went on to avoid a sweep and beat the Astros 12-6 on Sunday night. The Astros will try again to finish the series in Game 4 at 2:37 p.m. Monday in Chicago.

Astros manager Dusty Baker said he’ll send Jose Urquidy to the mound to try to close out the series.

“I’m not worried about (momentum switching to the White Sox); momentum goes day to day,” Baker said. “One day you don’t get any hits, the next day you get all the hits you want. They got all the hits they wanted today. We’re going to flush this one and come back tomorrow.”

In the fourth inning of Game 3, Astros reliever Yimi Garcia, who replaced starter Luis Garcia in the third and promptly gave up a three-run homer, gave up three straight singles to start the fourth and give the White Sox a 7-6 lead. Zack Greinke came on in relief and things got really weird. 

Yasmani Grandal hit a ground ball to first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who appeared to have an easy play throwing home to get the lead runner. However, when Gurriel attempted to make the throw home, Grandal was running way inside the baseline – all the way on the infield grass – and Gurriel’s throw deflected off Grandal’s shoulder and rolled to the backstop, allowing the run to score with everybody safe. The Astros argued that Grandal intentionally interfered with the throw, but it’s a judgment all and the umpires ruled that Grandal didn’t purposely deflect the throw. Eloy Jimenez followed with an infield single to give the White Sox a 9-6 lead before Greinke got out of the inning.

“Especially (Grandal) being a catcher, he knows what he’s doing. That was a smart play on his part,” Baker said.

The White Sox blew things open in the eighth with three runs on five straight hits off reliever Brooks Raley.

That wild fourth inning ruined a big night for Kyle Tucker, who had four RBIs with a two-run double in the second and a two-run homer in the third that gave the Astros a 5-1 lead.

After Eloy Jimenez gave the White Sox a 1-0 edge with an RBI single in the first inning, the Astros quickly responded. Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa each worked walks and then got driven home by a Tucker double to right-center. Tucker moved to third on a Gurriel fly out and scored on a Jake Meyers single. After White Sox starter Dylan Cease walked Jose Aluve for his third walk of the inning, he was pulled in favor of reliever Michael Kopech, who got out of the inning.

Kopech promptly gave up the two-run homer to Tucker in the third.

The White Sox responded with a four-run third inning that chased Astros starter Luis Garcia. Yasmani Grandal cut the deficit to 5-3 with a two-run homer. Garcia then gave up…