Manager Joe Espada's attempt to explain a walk-off win Sunday trailed off into an appropriate admission. "I don't know, speechless," he said. A depleted Houston Astros team is authoring its hottest stretch of the first half.

The Houston Astros suffered a major loss on a night they notched a series win over the Chicago White Sox. Despite winning the game 4-3, third baseman Isaac Paredes was forced to leave early due to an apparent leg injury.

Bryan Abreu and Kaleb Ort came in to finish the game after Framber’s night was finished and they did just that, with Abreu striking out two in the eighth, to help finish a 8-2 win. Ort did get in a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the ninth, allowing two runners, but he came back with two strikeouts and a groundout to end the game.

The Houston Astros place Jacob Melton on the IL before facing the Twins, while Isaac Paredes avoids serious injury.

It's not easy for rookies to thrive in the big leagues, and Houston Astros outfielder Jacob Melton is learning that the hard way. The 24-year-old entered Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins, slashing .185/.241/.185 with three RBI over 10 contests.

It was only two weeks ago that left-hander Framber Valdez threw an 83-pitch complete game against the Rays, tying the club record for the fewest pitches by an Astros pitcher in a complete game since pitch-count tracking began in 1988.