'This one is No. 1': White Sox dig winning ways in new City Connects

CHICAGO -- The month of May has been very good to the White Sox, albeit in the grand total of a two-game sample size.

But here are a few pertinent numbers to digest following a 7-3 victory over the Astros on Friday night at Rate Field.

It’s the White Sox second two-game win streak overall in 2025. Both of those win streaks have come at home. They have a +12 run differential in those two victories.

Chicago’s starting pitching combination of Sean Burke on Thursday and Jonathan Cannon on Friday allowed two runs, both by Cannon, in 12 innings.

Luis Robert Jr. has hit in seven straight, meaning both games in May, while picking up his 500th career hit with a home run in the fifth inning on Friday. More than just White Sox fans are noticing this five-tool talent rounding back into his All-Star form.

Then, of special significance on Friday, the South Siders (9-23) are now 1-0 when wearing the second round of City Connect uniforms. The collaborative effort with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls created the first of its kind jersey, sported by the team in this series opener and featured throughout the ballpark.

Day 1 sales for this special City Connect look topped the very popular SouthSide original version.

“I like them, I really like them,” Cannon said. “It's just different from all the other City Connects we've seen. It just pays homage to the Bulls and the city. All the other gear that goes with it, the jacket, the sweatshirts, all the hats we had, it's really, really cool what they did. They did a really good job."

“They're awesome. Different,” manager Will Venable said prior to the series opener. “And it's always cool to throw something different on. Obviously, the connection to the Bulls, and just a tribute to the city of Chicago. Growing up a [Michael] Jordan fan, it’s especially cool.”

The City Connect White Sox scored one run each in the first and second, with Chase Meidroth coming home on an Edgar Quero double in the opening frame and then delivering a run-scoring hit in the second on a two-out, 1-2 pitch from Houston starter Framber Valdez. Meidroth showed some fire running down to first after connecting on a 95 mph sinker up in the zone, while Valdez showed his mound displeasure by slapping his glove against his side.

Meidroth had two hits and that run scored. Quero had two hits, two RBIs and one walk, as the young recent callups continued to provide important energy.

“It's just trying to get in the box, seeing good pitches in different ways, especially in the position that I'm hitting right now, hitting fourth,” Quero said. “When I got guys on base, I try to hit the ball, especially with Robert on base, I don't try to do too much because he's fast. If I get a base hit, he's on second, he's going to score easy.”

“Just quality at-bats every single time. And it’s been that from the first at-bat he had here,” Venable said of Quero. “He’s controlling the zone and putting good swings on it and giving us some quality in the middle of the order.”

Robert has hit .346 with three home runs and eight RBIs during his season-high hitting streak, raising his average to .189. He also emerged relatively unscathed when chasing after a Yainer Diaz home run in the eighth and running into the center-field wall on his leaping attempt.

“Yeah, I think my face is a little swollen,” Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo. “I've been feeling pretty good, better in the last couple weeks. But I've been feeling pretty good the whole season.”

Cannon pitched out of a bases loaded, one-out situation in the second, brought about by fielding errors from third baseman Miguel Vargas and second baseman Lenyn Sosa. He struck out five and didn’t issue a walk, which was the key free pass detriment pointed out by the right-hander when he wasn’t having the same success earlier in April.

April flowers have brought the White Sox May victories, or something along those lines, and the new City Connect uniforms brought the same rave reviews as the team’s play.

Maybe the club will break them out more than the scheduled dates for even greater success.

“Why not?” Venable said. “They look good and we played well so let’s keep going.”

“This one is No. 1,” Robert said with a wry smile. “I like red a lot.”