CHICAGO -- Astros manager Joe Espada felt confident outfielder Cam Smith was returning from his three-game hiatus in a better spot.
The 23-year-old, who had gone 13 straight at-bats without a hit as part of a 1-for-28 slump, was kept out of the starting lineup in Houston’s last series against the Marlins as a reset.
“I think he’s in a better spot than he was a few days ago. We’ll see,” Espada said before Friday’s series opener against the White Sox at Rate Field. “He’s going to get an opportunity. I think he’s in a much better spot mentally and physically.”
It took him a couple of at-bats, but Smith showed that the time off helped. He clubbed a two-run home run, the big blow in an eight-run sixth inning, that completed the Astros’ improbable rally from a five-run deficit and sparked them to a 9-5 win over the White Sox.
Smith struck out and grounded into a forceout in his first two plate appearances, but he didn’t miss a 93.5-mph fastball from left-hander Bryan Hudson, hitting it 101.2 mph to left field. It came just two batters after Christian Walker had flipped the script for the Astros.
White Sox starter Davis Martin had been carving the Astros' lineup, working through the fifth inning with a 5-0 lead.
But Yordan Alvarez singled to lead off the sixth and extend his 10-game hitting streak. The next three hitters reached base to load the bases, giving the Astros their first run and chasing the White Sox ace from the game. Walker doubled down the left-field line to bring the Astros within a run and set the stage for Smith’s blast. Houston tacked on two more runs in the inning.
It was quite the turnaround for the Astros, who looked poised to give up a crooked number to open the game. Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti allowed a single and two walks to open the game, then surrendered a two-out single and hit consecutive batters as the White Sox sent nine hitters to the plate in a three-run first inning. Arrighetti exited the game after one inning with right foot nerve irritation.