Slow-moving blowout fells Sox, 12-6

For a change, the Chicago White Sox fought back hard in the face of a significant deficit, but ultimately fell short, losing 12-6 to the Houston Astros in a slow-developing runaway at Minute Maid Park.

James Shields was his usual mediocre self on Saturday, throwing 5 2⁄3 innings with his usual results: 10 hits, eight earned, two walks and a game score of 23 made downright preposterous by the fact that the righthander whiffed nine Astros.

The White Sox crept back to within 6-5 on the strength of Omar Narváez’s 3-2, two-out, bases-clearing double to left field, which knocked Houston starter Charlie Morton out of the box. But with with Narváez on third base after a wild pitch, Will Harris…