>>Sale Dominant Again As Sox End Slide

Chris Sale went the distance on a masterful four-hitter on Thursday night, becoming the first major league pitcher since 2008 to win his first nine starts, and the Chicago White Sox edged the Houston Astros 2-1 to snap their season-high four game losing streak.

Sale walked none and struck out a season-high nine en route to his second straight complete game. No other pitcher has more than seven victories in the big leagues this season.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb had been the last to post a 9-0 record in his first nine starts. The last White Sox to accomplish the feat was Eddie Cicotte in 1919, when he won 12 in a row.

Houston broke the shutout bid in the eighth, when Evan Gattis clubbed Sale's first pitch for a home run.

Jose Quintana (5-2, 1.54) will get the start versus the Kansas City Royals in the first game of a three-game set on Friday.

>>Cardinals Win Slugfest With Rockies

Matt Carpenter homered and drove in a career-high six runs to lead the Cardinals to a 13-7 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night.

He smashed a three-run homer in the eighth inning and also had a bases-loaded double in the fourth.

St. Louis, which has won three of four, scored a season-high six runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good.

Matt Adams drove in four runs with two-run singles in the first and fourth.

Stephen Piscotty added three hits and drove in two runs.

Trevor Story hit his 12th home run of the season for the Rockies, a solo shot in the seventh. He had three hits.

Tyler Lyons (1-0) allowed one run over three innings in relief of Michael Wacha, who gave up eight hits and six runs in four innings. Wacha came into the game on a career-high four-game losing streak.

Daniel Descalso had two hits and two RBIs for the Rockies, who have dropped 19 of their last 24 in St. Louis.

Colorado starter Jon Gray (1-2) gave up nine runs and eight hits over 3 1-3 innings.

Carlos Martinez (4-3, 3.14) will take on Arizona LHP Patrick Corbin (1-3, 4.14) in the first of a three-game set on Friday.

>>Guerra Strong As Brewers Stymie Cubs

Junior Guerra struck out a career-high 11, Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Chris Carter homered and the Milwaukee Brewers slowed the Chicago Cubs with a 5-3 victory Thursday.

Jason Hammel (5-1) allowed four runs and five hits in six innings. He had been 8-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 11 career starts against the Brewers. Chicago, a big-league best 28-11, has lost three times in a four-game span for the first time this season. The Cubs scored seven runs in the three-game series.

Making his first start against Chicago, Guerra (3-0) gave up Dexter Fowler's 15th career leadoff homer but settled down to allow three runs and five hits in seven innings.

Jake Arrieta (7-0, 1.29 ERA) is to open a three-game series Friday at San Francisco and RHP Jake Peavy (1-4, 7.43).