WANTED & UNWANTED » postseason faceoff, the Bears downed th

A.J. Hinch took over as Houston’s manager before right-hander Lance McCullers’ rookie season in 2015 and the two have long held a special bond.

So when McCullers came off the mound after striking out a career-high in 12 in seven strong innings in an 11-4 win over the White Sox on Friday night Jonah Williams Jersey , Hinch wanted to make sure he let his pitcher know how impressed he was with his big night.

He did that by enveloping him in a huge bear hug as soon as he reached the dugout when his work was done.

”I was so happy with the progress,” Hinch said. ”He’s got so many options now against any hitter. … I love the growth that’s happening for him as a major league starting pitcher. … He knows what he’s going through and how he’s taking steps forward. It’s cool to have a moment with him.”

Evan Gattis hit a three-run homer in Houston’s seven-run eighth to help the Astros to the victory.

McCullers (10-3) didn’t allow a hit until a single by Adam Engel with one out in the sixth, and gave up just three singles and one run. He kept the White Sox off balance with a flurry of curveballs to outdo his previous career best of 11 Ks.

”I came up in 2015 and was really just a young kid,” McCullers said. ”I had to learn a lot and he’s definitely been someone who has really helped me along the way in all phases as a pitcher, a baseball player and as a person. I give a lot of credit to A.J., the veterans, the staff.”

Chicago manager Rick Renteria raved about his curveball.

”His breaking ball today was sweeping with some depth,” he said. ”Strong breaking ball. It was a lot of breaking balls. Even going to the plate to be honest (and) looking for it, that thing was falling off the table pretty good.”

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single by Yuli Gurriel. Tim Federowicz hit a two-run double in the fourth to make it 3-0.

After Engel’s single in the sixth, Yoan Moncada sent him to third with a single to right field. The White Sox cut the lead to 3-1 with a third straight single, this one by Yolmer Sanchez. After a quick visit to the mound, McCullers was able to limit the damage when Jose Abreu grounded into a double play.

The Astros added a run in the seventh on an RBI double by Gattis to make it 4-1. They broke it open in the eighth inning thanks in part to the homer by Gattis Elgton Jenkins Jersey , who finished with three hits and four RBIs. The towering shot off Hector Santiago landed on the train tracks atop left field. Two more runs scored in that inning on an error by right fielder Avisail Garcia when he misjudged a fly ball hit by Gurriel and it bounced behind him just inside the line and sailed into the stands.

Chicago starter Reynaldo Lopez (4-6) yielded six hits and three runs while tying a career high with five walks in 4 2/3 innings to snap a two-game winning streak.

McCullers won his fourth straight decision to join Charlie Morton as the first Houston pitchers to reach 10 wins this season.

He was tough from the start of this one, retiring the first six batters, including striking out the side in the second, before hitting Kevan Smith with a pitch to start the third. But he got right back on track, and struck out the next three to end the inning as part of 10 straight he sat down before Engel’s single in the sixth.

Garcia, whose career-best 14-game hitting streak was snapped Thursday night, hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth, and Daniel Palka followed with a solo shot off Brad Peacock.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: SS Tim Anderson was out of the lineup a night after being plunked on the left forearm. Anderson said he was sore but OK and Renteria expects him to return to the lineup Saturday.

Astros: Manager A.J. Hinch said he believes that C Brian McCann will return before the end of the regular season after he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday. ”I do expect him back,” Hinch said. ”I don’t know when … and he’s got a lot of things he needs to do to get back to playing, but I absolutely expect him to be back.”

SPECIAL WIN

The Astros dedicated Friday’s victory to Cameron Gooch, a 10-year-old who is fighting cancer and attended the game as part of his wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Gooch was helped to the mound by Hinch and Gattis to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and they both wore orange armbands he gave to them during the game.

UP NEXT

Morton (10-2, 2.55 ERA) opposes James Shields (3-9 http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-jace-sternberger-jersey , 4.12) when the series continues Saturday. Morton took his second loss of the season in his last outing when he allowed six hits and two runs while striking out 11 in 6 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay. Shields yielded four hits and a run in 6 2/3 innings in his last start, but did not factor in the decision in a 5-3 loss to Cincinnati.

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In their long — make that LONG — rivalry, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have played 198 times. Only two meetings came in the playoffs.In January 2011, they faced off for the NFC title and a trip to the Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers and a staunch defense silenced Soldier Field, building a 14-0 lead and 21-7 lead and won their third successive road game in the postseason.Two weeks later, the wild-card Packers beat Pittsburgh for, appropriately, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.How did that game affect each franchise in subsequent seasons? Let’s look.GREEN BAYWith a healthy Rodgers, a two-time league MVP, at quarterback, the Packers always have been a contender. They simply haven’t been champions, and some consider them underachievers with such a dynamic presence throwing the ball. In the eight seasons since defeating the Bears and then the Steelers Dexter Williams Jersey , Green Bay has gone 79-47-2. There were two losing records (7-9, when Rodgers missed nine games, then 6-9-1) the last two years. Last season’s flop cost Mike McCarthy, the team’s head coach for the 2010 title, his job.Most galling of all for Cheeseheads was a 15-1 record in 2011, when the prospect of consecutive championships went down in flames in a home loss to the Giants that wasn’t even close, 37-20.“We got beat by a team that played better,” Rodgers said. “That’s the reality of this league. (I’ve) been in the playoffs four times, and three times you lose your last game and you go home, and the one time you have that euphoric feeling that you keep fighting for. It’s tough. I didn’t think it was going to end tonight.”Perhaps worse for Packers followers, the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl.Although the Packers won three more NFC North titles in a row, there were holes in the running game and on defense Nick Bosa Jersey , particularly in the secondary. Green Bay never has found the shutdown cornerback or standout safety to anchor the defense, and it overused star linebacker Clay Matthews until he wore down.Still, Rodgers was able to get the Pack to NFC title games in 2014 and 2016. Those might have been last hurrahs for the Hall of Fame-caliber QB because Green Bay is in a retooling mode under new coach Matt LaFleur and Rodgers, at 35, probably doesn’t have the support around him to get back to the top.CHICAGOLosing to your archrival at home with a chance to advance to the Big Game for the second time in five seasons is painful enough. Almost catching up in the fourth quarter with a third-string quarterback after starter Jay Cutler was injured and backup Todd Collins was awful is adding spice to the wound.The Bears didn’t make the postseason again until last year, although they did go 10-6 under Lovie Smith in 2012, losing a tiebreaker to Minnesota for the final wild card. Their vaunted defense became a sieve from 2013-16; Smith had been fired after the 2012 season despite that strong record. He was 84-66 overall with Chicago.Plenty of wrong steps were taken by the front office and on the field under Marc Trestman (13-19 in two seasons), and John Fox (14-34 in three). Cutler wasn’t close to the answer at quarterback, and when Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher (class of 2018) retired in early 2013, nearly everything spiraled in Chi-town.Clearly, the loss to the Packers didn’t immediately send the Bears into a tailspin, because they were 26-22 over the next three seasons. But it was a sign that Da Bears were not going to be Da Team in the division — not when they couldn’t handle the wild-card Packers in Soldier Field with so much on the line.Their fortunes turned in 2018 when Matt Nagy was hired as coach L.J. Collier Jersey , quarterback Mitchell Trubisky blossomed under his tutelage, and general manager Ryan Pace made the steal of the century in trading for edge rusher Khalil Mack. Chicago won the NFC North at 12-4 before kicking woes and inexperience in the postseason did them in against the Eagles in a wild-card game.“Ultimately, we’re hungrier than we were last year,” Mack said. “I’m speaking for myself, as well. I’m way hungrier than I was last year.“It definitely wasn’t good enough. I’m just looking forward to this year and getting better.”It could happen.MEMORABLE GAMES1921: In their first meeting, the Chicago Staleys (they became the Bears the next year) defeated the brand-new Packers 20-0.1941: In their first postseason faceoff, the Bears downed the Packers 33-14 in Chicago. The Bears then beat the Giants for the league crown.1980: After a 61-7 loss to the Bears, Packers coach Bart Starr charged across the field to confront Bears coach Neill Armstrong for using the blitz in the fourth quarter.1986: Packers DT Charles Martin sported a towel with Bears numbers on it, allegedly a hit list. Martin slammed Jim McMahon to the turf on an interception, injuring McMahon’s shoulder. He was done for the year. Chicago won 12-10.2018: Aaron Rodgers led the Packers back from a 20-0 second-half deficit to win 24-23, throwing three fourth-quarter TDs.