Manager Rick Renteria pulled second baseman Yoan Moncada out of the White Sox’ 10-1 loss Saturday to the Astros after the second inning because of a sore left hamstring.
Moncada grounded out to third baseman Alex Bregman in the second and said he felt tightness while running to first base.
‘‘It was the first time,’’ Moncada said. ‘‘Because it was the first time, I told Ricky just to be cautious about that. I felt a little tightness in the hamstring, and that was why he decided to take me out.’’
Moncada said he doesn’t think the injury is anything serious and hopes to be in the lineup Sunday.
Pitching woes continue
Right-hander Lucas Giolito allowed five hits and seven walks on the way to yielding nine earned runs in two-plus innings.
The poor outing continued an unfortunate trend for Sox starters, who are a combined 1-10 with a 6.80 ERA this season.
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‘‘It was about as bad as it could get,’’ Giolito said. ‘‘I didn’t have a feel for much of anything. Seven walks, unacceptable. Put the bullpen in that situation, unacceptable.’’
Giolito gave up a two-run ground-rule double to Marwin Gonzalez with two outs in the first that gave the Astros a 4-0 lead. An inning later, he walked the bases loaded and gave up a grand slam to Josh Reddick.
‘‘At this point, I just need to get my flow back,’’ Giolito said. ‘‘I feel like with my delivery, I’m not repeating much of anything. Very out of sync.’’
Sox pitchers have allowed 10 runs in four consecutive games for only the third time in franchise history. The dubious feat also happened in 1999 and 2007.
Salty Verlander
Astros right-hander Justin Verlander took offense to shortstop Tim Anderson’s ‘‘over-aggressive’’ play during the Sox’ 10-0 loss Friday.
Anderson singled in the fifth to break up Verlander’s no-hitter, then tried to steal second on a 3-0 count to outfielder Avisail Garcia. Anderson slid into the base and celebrated, even though it was ball four to Garcia.
‘‘He [tries to steal] on 3-0 in a 5-0 game, that’s probably not great baseball,’’ Verlander told the media afterward. ‘‘Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, I don’t know. But he celebrated that, though. And it’s like: ‘Hey, I’m not worried about you right now. It’s 5-0, I’m giving a high leg kick, I know you can steal. But I’m trying to get this guy out at the plate.’ ’’
Later in the inning, Verlander managed to catch Anderson off second with a pickoff attempt. Anderson made it back to the bag after a rundown, but catcher Omar Narvaez was thrown out as the trailing runner.
Verlander said he made a comment to Anderson after the play.
‘‘Another bad baseball play,’’ Verlander said. ‘‘Very thankful that he gave me an out. That’s what I said, and he didn’t like that comment. But, hey, that’s not my fault; that’s his fault.’’
Anderson leads off
Renteria moved Anderson to the leadoff spot for the first time this season and shuffled Moncada down to sixth. It was the first time Moncada batted anywhere but leadoff this season.
