Quintana beats Astros, White Sox take fourth straight series

HOUSTON – With four straight series wins, the latest against one of the hottest teams in baseball and two others against playoff contenders, the White Sox are declaring themselves “back.”

And while their 42-40 record isn’t sending shivers down the collective spine of all those who also consider themselves American League playoff contenders, the Sox have righted themselves with nine wins in their last 13 games heading home to play the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves this week before the All-Star break.

“Just keep playing,’’ said manager Robin Ventura said. “We’re still in the hunt. We started out great, then we took a dump and now we’re back to playing better baseball.’’

The Sox started 23-10 before going 10-26 to fall three games under .500. Taking three of four from the Red Sox in Boston and two of three at home from the Blue Jays and Twins preceded their latest victorious two-of-three series, capped by Sunday’s 4-1 victory at Minute Maid Park that puts the Sox two games over .500 for the first time since June 4.

Jose Quintana (6-8, 3.06), the unsupported one who was winless in nine straight starts including seven defeats, allowed a leadoff homer in the first to George Springer before retiring 21 of the next 24 batters including the last 15 in a row.

Quintana also raised the ire of Astros manager A.J. Hinch for throwing a waist-high pitch behind Evan Gattis with two outs in the seventh. It was an apparent act of standing up for a teammate after Astros reliever Chris Devenski hit Jose Abreu on the left arm in the top of the inning with two outs and nobody on. Abreu, who stared at Devenski before taking first, has been hit eight times this season and undoubtedly appreciated the show of support.

“I tried to go inside,’’ Quintana said. “I missed in too much and I missed a spot. That’s all.’’

Plate umpire Ryan Blakney warned Quintana and both benches, which set off Hinch and led to an ejection. After the Astros manager had his say, Quintana came back from a 3-0 count to strike out Gattis to end his final inning.

Nate Jones pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts and David Robertson collected his 23^rd save and second in two days. Robertson struck out A.J. Reed, who had homered against him Saturday, with two runners on.Adam Eaton scored J.B. Shuck with a grounder to shortstop and Abreu (2-four-3, double) singled in Tim Anderson in a two-run Sox third against Collin McHugh (5-6) and Brett Lawrie and Dioner Navarro singled in tack-on runs in the eighth, something the Sox were doing with regularity during that 23-10 start.

Anderson also singled, giving him 11 multi-hit games in his first 22 as a major leaguer, a Sox record.

“[We] picked [ourselves] up from where [we] were a month ago,’’ Ventura said.

“Taking care of business on that day you’re playing has been the mantra we’ve had. You show up and take care of business that day.’’

Quintana had seven losses and two no-decisions in his previous nine starts, in large part because he had received one run or less of support in those nine.

“He’s such a fighter,’’ Abreu said.

“We are a very good team. It’s just a matter of believing in ourselves and we believe in ourselves right now. The results are there. We are winning games. We are winning series, and that’s important.’’

The Astros, who had won 26 of their previous 36 games, are a conquest worth noting.

“Wow,’’ Quintana said when asked what it felt like to get decent run support. “Now come back home, after winning this series, it’s a good moment and try to keep going and keep winning series.’’

Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.

Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com