Cam Smith, Nelson Velázquez deliver key blows in Astros' win over White Sox to start tough stretch

The Houston Astros got key hits from Nelson Velázquez and Cam Smith to start strong on a tough stretch of games that could decide their fate in the American League West.

The Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3 Monday night at Daikin Park in the first of 13 straight games against potential playoff teams with National League wild-card contenders Arizona Diamondbacks coming to town after the White Sox (72-65), who lead the AL Central, followed by a road trip to play likely NL wild-card team Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays, who have the best record in the American League.

The win pushed the Astros' record against opponents who are .500 or better to a Major League-best 26-14 (.650). They maintained their two-game lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West and increased the lead over the Seattle Mariners, the defending division champions, to six games. Houston also climbed within 2 ½ games of the White Sox for the second seed in the postseason, which comes with a bye past the wild-card round.

The Astros (70-68) trailed 2-1 with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Smith sparked something with a triple, Velázquez delivered his first hit since the Astros claimed him off waivers three weeks ago , a two-run homer that banged off the barrier just below the train tracks in left field.

Smith helped add to the lead in the following inning. After singles by Christian Vázquez, Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes loaded the bases, Christian Walker brought home a run with a walk to make it 4-2 Astros. The White Sox opted to pull starter Anthony Kay after he struck out Daulton Varsho so righty Trevor Richards could face Smith. It didn't work. Smith ripped a 2-2 changeup down the left-field line for a two-run double and a 6-2 lead.

The Astros got the scoring started in the third in an inning that began with Nick Allen reaching on a throwing error by third baseman Miguel Vargas. When the Astros put runners on the corners with one out, Alvarez hit a ground ball to second that looked like it had a chance to be an inning-ending double play, however Alvarez beat out the throw to first, allowing Allen to score the game's first run.

Given a small lead, Peter Lambert struggled mightily in the fourth, an inning which he needed 30 pitches to complete. After retiring the leadoff hitter, Lambert allowed the next three hitters to reach with a Colson Montgomery double, a Chase Meidroth RBI single and a hit by pitch from Tristan Peters. After striking out nine-hole hitter Jake Rogers, Lambert walked Sam Antonacci to load the bases, then walked in a run with a walk to Munetaka Murakami that put the White Sox up 2-1.

The Astros' bullpen of Enyel De Los Santos, Bennett Sousa, Steven Okert and Bryan Abreu combined to give up just one run on two hits in the final 4 ⅓ innings.

a-flied out for Benintendi in the 6th. b-struck out for Peters in the 7th.

E_Vargas (11), Velázquez (2), Vázquez (2). LOB_Chicago 14, Houston 6. 2B_C.Montgomery (21), C.Smith (16). 3B_C.Smith (5). HR_C.Montgomery (29), off Sousa; Velázquez (5), off Kay. RBIs_Meidroth (51), Murakami (59), C.Montgomery (77), Alvarez (94), Velázquez 2 (15), Walker (76), C.Smith 2 (50).

Runners left in scoring position_Chicago 6 (Benintendi 2, Vargas 2, Grichuk 2); Houston 4 (Walker, Paredes, Velázquez 2). RISP_Chicago 1 for 8; Houston 3 for 12.

Inherited runners-scored_Richards 3-2, De Los Santos 1-0, Sousa 3-0. IBB_off Richards (Alvarez). HBP_Lambert (Peters). WP_Richards.

ABS Challenge_Paredes (Strike-Confirmed); De Los Santos (Ball-Overturned to Strike); De Los Santos (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Antonacci (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Allen (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Davis (Ball-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations_Richards (pitcher).

Umpires_Home, Mark Ripperger; First, Shane Livensparger; Second, Dan Merzel; Third, Dan Bellino.

Lambert wasn't able to make it through five innings for just the second time in his past 12 starts. The 29-year-old right-hander walked a season-high five batters, which pushed his pitch count up. By the time he walked Colston Montgomery with two outs in the fifth, he had thrown 104 pitches and was removed.

Lambert, who needed 30 pitches to complete a fourth inning that included two walks and a hit batter, allowed two runs on three hits and five walks with six strikeouts in 4 ⅔ innings.

Lambert, who didn't make the Astros' opening day roster, leads the team in wins (8), starts (24), innings (132 ⅔) and strikeouts (131).

Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez added to his RBI total with a ground ball in the third inning to give him 94 RBIs, which leads the American League. Alvarez also leads the league in average and is tied for the lead in home runs, putting him on track for the Triple Crown. The Tigers' Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown in 2012, but before him it hadn't been done since Carl Yastrzemski's 1967 season. Alvarez's .317 average is six points ahead of the Rays' Chandler Simpson in second place. Alvarez is tied with Tampa Bay's Yandy Diaz with 37 home runs and has a three-RBI lead over the Orioles' Pete Alonso.

Astros fans have hated the Mauricio Dubón-for-Nick Allen trade ever since former general manager Dana Brown made it in November. Allen has been on a heater to make the trade look far more even than it did when it was considered mostly an offseason salary dump.

In 78 games, Allen, who went 1-for-3 Monday, is hitting .277 with a .684 OPS. Dubón, who is making $6.1 million and can become a free agent this offseason, is hitting .268 with a .700 OPS in 131 games for the Atlanta Braves.

Allen, who is making $1.4 million and still has three more years of team control, has hit .349 (15-for-43) since the All-Star break.