Cease did not factor in the decision against Houston on Saturday, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five batters over six scoreless innings.
Cease was in dire need of a strong performance after allowing 20 earned runs over 18 innings across his previous four starts. The right-hander got back on track against the Astros, yielding just four hits -- all singles -- while notching his first scoreless outing of the campaign. Cease wasn't able to end a five-start winless streak because Chicago scored just once while he was in the game; however, this was an enormously positive appearance for him and the White Sox considering his struggles of late. Cease began the campaign pitching well, so his ERA still sits at a non-catastrophic 4.86 despite the recent rough patch.