The Chicago White Sox hit the road to face the Houston Astros on Wednesday, September 2, with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 PM ET at Daikin Park. Davis Martin gets the ball for Chicago against Houston's Hayden Wesneski in a regular season matchup that gives the Sox a chance to measure themselves against an Astros lineup that still features some of the most dangerous hitters in the American League. Watch on Chicago Sports Network or catch the call on ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM.

White Sox Probable Starter: Davis Martin

Davis Martin draws the assignment in Houston. Martin is a strike-thrower who relies on keeping hitters off-balance rather than overpowering them, and he'll need to be sharp from the first pitch in a ballpark that can punish mistakes in a hurry. How Martin navigates the heart of the Astros order — particularly Yordan Alvarez hitting second and Jose Altuve slotted fourth — will go a long way toward determining Chicago's fortunes on the night.

Astros Probable Starter: Hayden Wesneski

Wesneski is a name Sox fans may recognize from his time in the Cubs organization before he made his way to Houston. He works with a mix that can generate weak contact when he's locating, so the White Sox lineup will need to be patient and pick their spots. Chicago's offense will be looking to Munetaka Murakami batting second, Miguel Vargas hitting third, and Andrew Benintendi in the cleanup spot to set the tone.

Chicago White Sox Lineup

• Sam Antonacci, LF
• Munetaka Murakami, 1B
• Miguel Vargas, 3B
• Andrew Benintendi, DH
• Braden Montgomery, RF
• Colson Montgomery, SS
• Chase Meidroth, 2B
• Tristan Peters, CF
• Drew Romo, C

Houston Astros Lineup

• Jeremy Peña, SS
• Yordan Alvarez, DH
• Isaac Paredes, 3B
• Jose Altuve, 2B
• Daulton Varsho, CF
• Taylor Trammell, LF
• Cam Smith, RF
• LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B
• Christian Vázquez, C

Keys to Watch

• Colson Montgomery's at-bats: The young shortstop batting sixth is one of the players Sox fans most want to see develop down the stretch. Every plate appearance against a quality organization like Houston carries weight.
• Martin's command early: If Martin can work ahead in counts and avoid walking the Astros' patient hitters, Chicago's bullpen can be preserved for a late push. Get behind Alvarez or Altuve and the night unravels fast.
• Munetaka Murakami making contact: Murakami batting second is an intriguing look. His ability to work the count and get on base ahead of Vargas and Benintendi is critical to any offensive output Chicago generates.
• Bullpen management: Late-inning depth will be tested in a loud environment on the road. How the Sox handle the back end of their roster is worth monitoring closely.

Prediction

Houston is a well-constructed club at home and Wesneski figures to be a tough out for a White Sox offense still finding its identity. That said, Davis Martin has shown he can keep games competitive, and Chicago's lineup has enough experienced bats — Benintendi, Vargas, and Murakami — to make Wesneski work. Look for this one to be close into the middle innings before Houston's bullpen depth ultimately proves to be the difference. Astros 4, White Sox 2.