Lance Lynn hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a start this season.
But the Houston Astros got to him Saturday.
The Chicago White Sox right-hander surrendered four runs in the third inning in a 7-3 loss in front of 35,210 at Minute Maid Park.
“I just didn’t make the big pitch I needed to when they scored the four runs that inning,” Lynn said in a conference call. “It’s that simple.”
Lynn had his shortest outing of the season, lasting just four innings as the Sox dropped their third straight in the series.
The right-hander allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and a walk.
“He probably got too much of the plate on some of those,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “And they were ready to hit. The offense there on the other side was aggressive early, and they got to him. Actually, they were aggressive all night long early in the count.
“I’m looking forward to the next time he faces them because he’s got weapons he didn’t get to use today against them.”
Lynn said there were some issues “mechanically and arm-slot wise.”
“We have to get that cleaned up and physically everything will feel better next time out,” he said.
The Astros broke a 1-all tie when Michael Brantley knocked in Jose Altuve with a single in the third. Robel García had the key hit of the inning, driving in three with a double over the head of right fielder Leury García to make it 5-1.
“When they get runners on base, they do a really good job of getting on top of every pitch that there is,” Lynn said. “That makes them tough. It doesn’t matter in and out, up/down, it seems like they are ready for it. They are doing everything they can to make sure they make those scoring opportunities as good as they possibly can be so you have to try to be better.
“One bad pitch. Some ground ball hits. And the three-run double there. Those games will happen. If I make that pitch right there, it could be a totally different ballgame.”
Brantley struck again an inning later with a two-out RBI double to left.
Lynn exited after throwing 84 pitches. Saturday marked the first time he failed to pitch at least five innings since his debut with the Sox on April 3 at the Los Angeles Angels when he lasted 4?.
Framber Valdez allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in seven innings for the Astros. Andrew Vaughn hit a solo home run off Valdez in the seventh.
Vaughn returned to the lineup after leaving Friday’s game in the eighth because of a facial contusion, an injury that occurred when he doubled in the sixth and the throw from right bounced and hit him in the face.
“I was seeing it pretty well,” Vaughn said. “I had a good approach off him today and just went out there and battled.”
Vaughn went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Trailing 6-3 in the eighth, Vaughn came up as the tying run against reliever Ryne Stanek. He popped out to shortstop Carlos Correa for the inning’s final out.
“It was a good pitch to hit, and I just got under it,” Vaughn said. “It happens.”
Correa homered off reliever José Ruiz leading off the bottom of the eighth. Ruiz left with two outs with discomfort in his right knee. He is being evaluated.
Yoán Moncada had two hits and an RBI, and Yasmani Grandal singled twice for the Sox, who remain 31/2 games ahead of the second-place Cleveland Indians in the American League Central.
They’ll attempt to avoid being swept Sunday when Dallas Keuchel starts against his former team for the first time in his career.
“They’re not playing any harder than we are, they’re just playing better,” La Russa said. “We’re capable of turning that around.”
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