ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) The Chicago White Sox desperately needed a strong outing from one of their starters. Chris Sale provided it.

The 23-year-old left-hander pitched effectively into the sixth inning and the White Sox capitalized on some shoddy defense by the Los Angeles Angels for a 6-1 victory Thursday.

After a three-game stretch in which starters John Danks, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd gave up a combined 18 earned runs over 14 1-3 innings, Sale (4-2) restored order in his sixth major league start. He struck out seven and was working on a three-hit shutout in the sixth when he gave up a one-out homer to Albert Pujols and a double to Mark Trumbo and was replaced by Nate Jones.

”It was nice to see Chris have a good start,” Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko said. ”He had that little thing where he got out of the rotation for a week and missed a turn, and I think there’s no question that it kind of blew his rhythm – because he didn’t have a good game last time. So it was nice to see him get it back, because he was on his way to having a great year.”

Sale joined lefty Steve Rosenberg (1989) as the only White Sox pitchers to give up three runs or less in each of their first six big league starts since divisional play began in 1969.

”I guess that’s a cool stat, but it’s obviously something I don’t pay attention to at all,” Sale said. ”I have a job to do, and that’s to go out and keep my team in the game, keep the other team to fewer runs on the board than the other starter and pitch deep into the game. That’s my main focus.”

A first-round draft pick in 2010, Sale was used exclusively in relief by the White Sox during his two previous seasons in the big leagues. Two of those relief outings were against the Angels, who got to see him again during spring training.

”He did a good job today and was pretty sharp, for the most part,” Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick said. ”He got outs and put up zeros, and that’s what you want your starter to do. He’s got a good two-seam fastball, he threw strikes and was able to get guys out with his breaking ball.”

C.J. Wilson (4-4) threw 88 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and tied a career high with six walks. The left-hander was charged with four runs – one earned – and four hits. He also walked six Marlins batters on June 15, 2010, at Miami while pitching for the Texas Rangers.

”I had a little stomach virus today, so I couldn’t really get anything going,” Wilson said. ”It was just weird. I almost passed out after the first inning. I didn’t set a good tone, and that’s pretty much my fault. I put the defense to sleep out there – and the bats, too, I guess.”

A.J. Pierzynski delivered a two-out RBI single in the third to open the scoring, after flying out with the bases loaded to end the White Sox first. He was 3 for 5 with two RBI singles, and is 29 for 70 in his last 19 games at Angel Stadium.

Chicago tacked on three unearned runs in the fourth with the help of two balls that should have been caught and weren’t. Angels center fielder Mike Trout started in right for the first time this season due to the absence of nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter because of his son’s arrest in Texas, and dropped a routine flyball by Dyan Viciedo with one out.

Viciedo ended up at second base on the error, and Wilson walked the next two batters before Adam Dunn chased the left-hander with a two-run single. David Carpenter came in and Konerko hit a popup to short right field, but the ball fell in front of Kendrick after he called off Trout. It was scored as an RBI single.

”It was right in the sun,” Kendrick said. ”I made a mistake and had my sunglasses on my hat, and I should have had them on there. But I still have to make that play, regardless. We can’t allow that to happen. We’ve got to make plays and give the team the best opportunity to win. Today we missed some flyballs, and we’ve got to work on that.”

In the fifth, Alexei Ramirez’s blooper fell between Trout and Kendrick for a hit after a leadoff single by Pierzynski. Viciedo followed with a flyball to short center, where Peter Bourjos converged with Trout and Kendrick before making the catch – resulting in a derisive cheer from the crowd of 30,786. Carpenter then fielded Brent Morel’s comebacker and started a double play.

Viciedo led off the eighth with his sixth homer and third in a four-game span. Three batters later, three-time Gold Glove winner Vernon Wells scaled the fence in front of the left field bullpen and pulled back Gordon Beckham’s bid for a two-run homer.

NOTES: Trumbo had a career-high four hits. … Dunn struck out his first two times up, increasing his major league-worst total to 59, and has at least one in 38 of his first 39 games. He led the majors in strikeouts three consecutive seasons while with Cincinnati (2004-06). … The Angels had gone 54 consecutive innings without an error before Trout’s first miscue of the season in 17 starts in the outfield.

ANAHEIM, CALIF. The Chicago White Sox desperately needed a strong outing from one of their starters. Chris Sale provided it.

The 23-year-old left-hander pitched effectively into the sixth inning and the White Sox capitalized on some shoddy defence by the Los Angeles Angels for a 6-1 victory Thursday.

After a three-game stretch in which starters John Danks, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd gave up a combined 18 earned runs over 14 1-3 innings, Sale (4-2) restored order in his sixth major league start. He struck out seven and was working on a three-hit shutout in the sixth when he gave up a one-out homer to Albert Pujols and a double to Mark Trumbo and was replaced by Nate Jones.

“It was nice to see Chris have a good start,” Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko said. “He had that little thing where he got out of the rotation for a week and missed a turn, and I think there’s no question that it kind of blew his rhythm — because he didn’t have a good game last time. So it was nice to see him get it back, because he was on his way to having a great year.”

Sale joined lefty Steve Rosenberg (1989) as the only White Sox pitchers to give up three runs or less in each of their first six big league starts since divisional play began in 1969.

“I guess that’s a cool stat, but it’s obviously something I don’t pay attention to at all,” Sale said. “I have a job to do, and that’s to go out and keep my team in the game, keep the other team to fewer runs on the board than the other starter and pitch deep into the game. That’s my main focus.”

A first-round draft pick in 2010, Sale was used exclusively in relief by the White Sox during his two previous seasons in the big leagues. Two of those relief outings were against the Angels, who got to see him again during spring training.

“He did a good job today and was pretty sharp, for the most part,” Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick said. “He got outs and put up zeros, and that’s what you want your starter to do. He’s got a good two-seam fastball, he threw strikes and was able to get guys out with his breaking ball.”

C.J. Wilson (4-4) threw 88 pitches in 3 2/3 innings and tied a career high with six walks. The left-hander was charged with four runs — one earned — and four hits. He also walked six Marlins batters on June 15, 2010, at Miami while pitching for the Texas Rangers.

“I had a little stomach virus today, so I couldn’t really get anything going,” Wilson said. “It was just weird. I almost passed out after the first inning. I didn’t set a good tone, and that’s pretty much my fault. I put the defence to sleep out there — and the bats, too, I guess.”

A.J. Pierzynski delivered a two-out RBI single in the third to open the scoring, after flying out with the bases loaded to end the White Sox first. He was 3 for 5 with two RBI singles, and is 29 for 70 in his last 19 games at Angel Stadium.

Chicago tacked on three more in the fourth with the help of two balls that should have been caught and weren’t. Angels centre-fielder Mike Trout started in right for the first time this season due to the absence of nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter because of his son’s arrest in Texas, and dropped a routine fly ball by Dyan Viciedo with one out in the first.

Viciedo ended up at second base on the error, and Wilson walked the next two batters before Adam Dunn chased the left-hander with a two-run single. David Carpenter came in and Konerko hit a popup to short right field, but the ball fell in front of Kendrick after he called off Trout. It was scored as an RBI single.

“It was right in the sun,” Kendrick said. “I made a mistake and had my sunglasses on my hat, and I should have had them on there. But I still have to make that play, regardless. We can’t allow that to happen. We’ve got to make plays and give the team the best opportunity to win. Today we missed some fly balls, and we’ve got to work on that.”

In the fifth, Alexei Ramirez’s chopper fell between Trout and Kendrick for a hit after a leadoff single by Pierzynski. Viciedo followed with a fly ball to short centre, where Peter Bourjos converged with Trout and Kendrick before making the catch — resulting in a derisive cheer from the crowd of 30,786. Carpenter then fielded Brent Morel’s comebacker and started a double-play.

Viciedo led off the eighth with his sixth homer and third in a four-game span. Three batters later, three-time Gold Glove winner Vernon Wells scaled the fence in front of the left field bullpen and pulled back Gordon Beckham’s bid for a two-run homer.

NOTES: Trumbo had a career-high four hits. … Dunn struck out his first two times up, increasing his major league-worst total to 59, and has at least one in 38 of his first 39 games. He led the majors in strikeouts three consecutive seasons while with Cincinnati (2004-06). … The Angels had gone 54 consecutive innings without an error before Trout’s first miscue of the season in 17 starts in the outfield.

The Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chris Sale pitched effectively into the sixth inning, giving Chicago’s rotation a much-needed solid outing, and the White Sox capitalized on some shoddy defense by the Los Angeles Angels for a 6-1 victory Thursday.

After a three-game stretch in which starters John Danks, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd gave up a combined 18 earned runs over 14 1-3 innings, Sale (4-2) restored order in his sixth major league start. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out seven and was working on a three-hit shutout in the sixth when he gave up a one-out homer to Albert Pujols and a double to Mark Trumbo and was replaced by Nate Jones. Trumbo had a career-high four hits.

Sale joined fellow left-hander Steve Rosenberg (1989) as the only White Sox pitchers to give up three runs or less in each of their first six big league starts since divisional play began in 1969. A first-round draft pick in 2010, Sale was used exclusively in relief by the White Sox during his two previous seasons in the big leagues.

C.J. Wilson (4-4) threw 88 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and tied a career high with six walks. He was charged with four runs — one earned — and four hits.

A.J. Pierzynski delivered a two-out RBI single in the third to open the scoring, after flying out with the bases loaded to end the White Sox first. He was 3 for 5 with two RBI singles, and is 29 for 70 in his last 19 games at Angel Stadium.

Chicago tacked on three more in the fourth with the help of two balls that should have been caught and weren’t. Angels center fielder Mike Trout started in right for the first time this season due to the absence of nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter because of his son’s arrest in Texas, and dropped a routine flyball by Dyan Viciedo with one out in the first.

Viciedo ended up at second base on the error, and Wilson walked the next two batters before Adam Dunn chased the left-hander with a two-run single. David Carpenter came in Paul Konerko hit a popup to short right field, but the ball fell in front of second baseman Howie Kendrick after he called off Trout. It was scored as an RBI single.

In the fifth, Alexei Ramirez’ chopper fell between Trout and Kendrick for a hit after a leadoff single by Pierzynski. Viciedo followed with a flyball to short center, where Peter Bourjos converged with Trout and Kendrick before making the catch — resulting in a derisive cheer from the crowd of 30,786.

Carpenter then fielded Brent Morel’s comebacker and started a double play.

Viciedo led off the eighth with his sixth homer and third in a four-game span. Three batters later, three-time Gold Glove winner Vernon Wells scaled the fence in front of the left field bullpen and pulled back Gordon Beckham’s bid for a two-run homer.

NOTES: Dunn struck out his first two times up, increasing his major league-worst total to 59, and has at least one in 38 of his first 39 games. He led the majors in strikeouts three consecutive seasons while with Cincinnati (2004-06). … Both teams begin their respective interleague schedules on Friday. The Angels are at San Diego, and the White Sox have a day game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Dunn’s 41 career home runs against the Cubs are the second-highest total among active players behind Albert Pujols’ 63. … Wilson also walked six Marlins batters on June 15, 2010, at Miami while pitching for the Texas Rangers. …The Angels had gone 54 consecutive innings without an error before Trout’s first miscue of the season in 17 starts in the outfield.

SEATTLE (AP) — Alex Rios got three hits and drove in three runs Sunday as the Chicago White Sox completed a series sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 7-4 victory.

A day after Phil Humber pitched a perfect game for the White Sox, John Danks (2-2) went six innings for the win.

Hector Santiago pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the season, closing out Chicago’s 19th victory in its last 22 games against the Mariners.

Rios hit a tying, two-run triple in the sixth and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kosuke Fukudome to put the White Sox ahead for good.

Rios and Fukudome added RBI singles in the eighth against Tom Wilhelmsen.

Seattle starter Kevin Millwood (0-1) to a 4-2 lead into the sixth. Adam Dunn drew a leadoff walk, Paul Konerko singled and after a groundout, Rios cleared the bases with a triple to the wall in right-center field.

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the third on a double by Alexei Ramirez that left fielder Casper Wells misplayed for an error, and an RBI single by Dunn.

Seattle tied it in the bottom half. Chone Figgins led off with a walk and Ichiro Suzuki singled, setting up an RBI single by Jesus Montero and an RBI double by Alex Liddi.

Fukudome walked in the fourth and moved up on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at the plate by Suzuki on Brent Morel’s single to right field.

Miguel Olivo and Wells hit consecutive singles to lead off the fourth. With Brendan Ryan attempting to bunt, the infield was pulled up when Danks tried a pickoff throw at first that Dunn never saw coming. Danks’ error allowed Olivo to score and Dustin Ackley drove in a run with a grounder for a 4-2 lead.

NOTES: Seattle 1B Justin Smoak got a scheduled day off and Liddi started in his place. … Chicago manager Robin Ventura gave CF Alejandro De Aza the day off with Fukudome starting in his place. De Aza had played every inning of the first 14 games of the year in center for Chicago. De Aza pinch-ran for DH Konerko in the eighth. … White Sox reliever Addison Reed pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out the side.

SEATTLE  — Alex Rios got three hits and drove in three runs Sunday as the Chicago White Sox completed a series sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 7-4 victory.

A day after Phil Humber pitched a perfect game for the White Sox, John Danks (2-2) went six innings for the win.

Hector Santiago pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the season, closing out Chicago’s 19th victory in its last 22 games against the Mariners.

Rios hit a tying, two-run triple in the sixth and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kosuke Fukudome to put the White Sox ahead for good.

Rios and Fukudome added RBI singles in the eighth against Tom Wilhelmsen.

Seattle starter Kevin Millwood (0-1) to a 4-2 lead into the sixth. Adam Dunn drew a leadoff walk, Paul Konerko singled and after a groundout, Rios cleared the bases with a triple to the wall in right-center field.

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the third on a double by Alexei Ramirez that left fielder Casper Wells misplayed for an error, and an RBI single by Dunn.

Seattle tied it in the bottom half. Chone Figgins led off with a walk and Ichiro Suzuki singled, setting up an RBI single by Jesus Montero and an RBI double by Alex Liddi.

Fukudome walked in the fourth and moved up on a wild pitch, but was thrown out at the plate by Suzuki on Brent Morel’s single to right field.

Miguel Olivo and Wells hit consecutive singles to lead off the fourth. With Brendan Ryan attempting to bunt, the infield was pulled up when Danks tried a pickoff throw at first that Dunn never saw coming. Danks’ error allowed Olivo to score and Dustin Ackley drove in a run with a grounder for a 4-2 lead.

NOTES: Seattle 1B Justin Smoak got a scheduled day off and Liddi started in his place. … Chicago manager Robin Ventura gave CF Alejandro De Aza the day off with Fukudome starting in his place. De Aza had played every inning of the first 14 games of the year in center for Chicago. De Aza pinch-ran for DH Konerko in the eighth. … White Sox reliever Addison Reed pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out the side.

CHICAGO (AP) Paul Konerko and the Chicago White Sox have left their struggles against the Tigers in 2011.

Gavin Floyd overcame control problem to pitch six scoreless innings and Alexei Ramirez homered as Chicago beat Detroit for the second straight day, 5-1 on Saturday.

Tyler Flowers and Konerko also homered for the White Sox, who won their fourth straight overall.

The White Sox were 5-13 against the Tigers in 2011, including the last six meetings.

”You want to win divisional games. Tigers are going to be there, they’re too good of a team, they’re going to be there, all we can hope is that we’re going to be in the mix at the end and be in that fight, too,” Konerko said. ”All I know for sure is that those two games are in the books. Other than that I don’t know anything else so it is good to get those two games and put them in the books.”.

The White Sox improved to 4-0 in the division.

Floyd (1-1) pitched around three walks and three hit batters. He struck out six and allowed only three hits.

”I thought he did a good job of taking advantage of our aggressiveness,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. ”He got a lot of swings on balls, on bad pitches. It was a pretty good game plan on their part. We’re an aggressive team and he took advantage of that.”

Brennan Boesch homered in the eighth inning and Austin Jackson had three hits for the Tigers, who have lost three of its last four games.

Tigers left-hander Adam Wilk, making first big league start, was hit in his pitching shoulder by teammate Prince Fielder’s foul ball while sitting in the dugout in the sixth inning.

”I just got hit in the shoulder, and it’s my throwing arm. Just to be safe, you might as well come out of the game and not risk anything,” said Wilk.

Wilk (0-1) left with a bruised shoulder but is expected to make his next start. He allowed two runs on three hits in five innings Saturday. He struck out four and walked one.

”I thought he did a good job. He moved the ball around pretty good. Gave up a couple solo homers, but no walks before it, so that was all right. He did a good job, it’s just too bad he got hit by the foul ball, we just couldn’t take a chance,” Leyland said. ”He should be OK for his next start.”

Floyd loaded the bases in the second inning by hitting Delmon Young, walking Jhonny Peralta and hitting Andy Dirks. Floyd was able to recover by getting Ryan Raburn to fly out to end the inning.

In the sixth inning, Floyd escaped trouble again. He allowed a leadoff a double to Jackson. After he struck out Boesch, Floyd walked Fielder and Young to load the bases. He then ended the inning by striking out Alex Avila.

”He pitched great. He was aggressive early,” Flowers said. ”Most importantly I think the pitches that he missed he missed in good spots where they were effective setting up the next pitch.”

Ramirez homered on a 1-2 pitch from Wilk in the second inning to give the White Sox a l-0 lead.

Flowers homered with two outs in the fifth inning. The ball landed deep into the left field seats. Flowers started at catcher to give A.J. Pierzynski a day off.

Flowers said the calming influence of new manager Robin Ventura has been a factor in the team’s early success.

”I guess you can say that. We all know him, he is a little bit more laid back than most, but he has jumped us a few times when we needed to be jumped,” said Flowers. ”We play hard, I think we see that, we play as a team, more so since I’ve been here I think. Actually there has been a little more camaraderie and such going on in the clubhouse, on the field and in the dugout and I think that’s better for the team. I think that ends up picking up everybody else when they struggle.”

Wilk had a 5.40 ERA with no decisions in five relief appearances in 2011. He was added to the rotation after Doug Fister was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a left rib muscle strain.

Brent Morel led off the sixth inning with a double off Tigers reliever Colin Balester and Adam Dunn followed with an RBI double.

Alejandro De Aza added an RBI triple in the seventh off Tigers reliever Daniel Schlereth and Konerko tagged Schlereth in the eighth for his first homer of the season to make it 5-1.

NOTES: The Tigers activated infielder Brandon Inge from the 15-day disabled list Saturday. He is expected to start at second base Sunday. Inge, who strained his groin during spring training, hit .197 with three homers and 23 RBIs in 103 games at third base last year. He grounded out in a pinch-hit appearance to end the game. … Raburn stole a hit from Ramirez in the fifth by making a sliding, over the head catch down the right field line.

CHICAGO — Jake Peavy pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Dayan Viciedo homered and made a key catch Friday as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-2 in their home opener.

Peavy (1-0) took a one-hitter and a 3-0 lead into the seventh. He walked Miguel Cabrera and Delmon Young’s two-out, two-run homer finished him.

Alex Avila singled off reliever Will Ohman and Jhonny Peralta followed with a double against Addison Reed before Viciedo made a diving catch of Andy Dirks’ sinking liner to left field to end the inning.

In the eighth, Chicago shortstop Alexei Ramirez made a nice stop and shovel to second, starting an inning-ending double play after the Tigers had runners at first and third.

Viciedo hit his first homer with two outs in the fifth to break up a scoreless duel between Peavy and Max Scherzer (0-1). Paul Konerko had an RBI single with two outs in the sixth and then just barely beat the throw home to score on A.J. Pierzynski’s triple into the right-field corner, making it 3-0.

Brent Morel hit an RBI single for Chicago in the eighth after Young misplayed Alejandro De Aza’s fly ball into triple. Morel eventually scored on a wild pitch by Brayan Villarreal.

Hector Santiago pitched the ninth for his third save in as many chances.

Peavy, whose stint with Chicago has been since slowed by injuries since coming to the White Sox in a trade with San Diego late in the 2009 season, allowed only two hits. He struck out eight and walked one in 6 2-3 innings.

Peavy retired the first 10 batters before Brennan Boesch singled sharply to right with one in the fourth.

Scherzer (0-1), who gave up eight hits and seven runs in just 2 2-3 innings in his first start this season against the Red Sox, was much more effective in his second outing.

Scherzer struck out 11, walked one and allowed five hits and three runs in six innings.

NOTES: The teams combined to strike out 25 times — 15 by White Sox batters,  including four by Adam Dunn. … Robin Ventura became the sixth straight White Sox manager to win his debut at U.S. Cellular Field. He and Konerko got loud ovations during introductions. “You feel like you grew up here, so in a lot of ways, it’s coming home,” said the low-key Ventura, who spent a decade as Chicago’s third baseman. Konerko said the communication from Ventura has been good early in the season. “Robin doesn’t say a whole bunch so when he does you know he means it and you pay attention to it.” … The game was delayed nearly 10 minutes in the top of the first when Tigers star Miguel Cabrera pointed out that the batter’s box wasn’t the right size. The grounds crew wiped out the original and created another box with a frame that had to be brought in from center field. … The announced sellout crowd was 38,676. … Tigers INF Brandon Inge could rejoin the club Saturday after an injury rehab (groin) rehab for Triple-A Toledo. …  Adam Wilk (0-0) goes for Detroit on Saturday against Gavin Floyd (0-1). …… Former major league pitcher Kevin Hickey, who was a batting practice pitcher and pregame instructor with the White Sox, remains hospitalized in Texas undergoing tests. He was taken to the hospital the day before the White Sox’s season opener against the Rangers on April 6.

Philip Humber and J.A. Happ each had a strong start and a shaky finish Wednesday. Both starting pitchers are looking forward to the regular season, too.

J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer and Brian Bogusevic added a solo shot for the Houston Astros, who played the Chicago White Sox to a 5-5 tie on Wednesday in the final exhibition game for both teams.

Humber pitched four scoreless innings before Jose Altuve’s run-scoring double and Martinez’s drive put Houston up 3-2 in the fifth. Humber allowed three runs and five hits with five strikeouts in five innings.

“Especially early on, I felt like I had my good stuff going and everything was working,” he said. “Toward the end, I felt like I was getting a little jumpy and I started rushing my delivery. But overall, I was very pleased with how this spring went.”

Happ gave up two runs and four hits while walking two in five innings for Houston.

Gordon Beckham and Alejandro De Aza hit back-to-back doubles to give the White Sox a 2-0 lead in the fifth.

“Things were moving and breaking and responding well, and that was a good feeling,” Happ said. “It’s a good sign, and it feels good to throw strikes and feel good with the pitches.”

Chicago’s Jared Mitchell hit a tying solo homer off Kyle Weiland in the seventh inning. Weiland, who earned a spot in Houston’s rotation this spring, allowed a spring-high seven hits with three runs in two innings.

Both teams are off Thursday before opening the season Friday. Houston hosts the Colorado Rockies and the White Sox face the Rangers in Arlington.

Alexei Ramirez had an RBI triple and Kosuke Fukudome singled in run to help the White Sox take a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning.

Houston catcher Jason Castro, who returned this spring after missing the entire 2011 season with a knee injury, had two hits. He is happy with his offensive work this spring, but was more excited about the progress he’s made behind the plate.

“We have a few new guys and I’ve been working on building those relationships with them,” he said of the new pitchers. “That was a big thing for me this spring was getting to know them and getting to know their strengths. I think we’ve learned each other quickly this spring and it’ll only get better as the season gets going.”

Bogusevic’s homer came in the sixth, and Chris Johnson doubled and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Houston center fielder Jordan Schafer started for the second straight day after missing more than two weeks with a sprained left hand. Schafer, Houston’s leadoff hitter who hit .379 this spring, was replaced by a pinch hitter in the eighth and looks to be on track to start on Friday.

NOTES: The Astros finalized their 25-man roster when RHP Henry Sosa cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City and they purchased the contract of OF Travis Buck. … The Astros are still hopeful that SS Jed Lowrie will be able to start on Friday. He has been out since March 28 with a strained right thumb, but manager Brad Mills said he has been feeling much better the last couple of days.