HOUSTON _ White Sox right-hander Carson Fulmer was removed from Thursday's 3-1 victory over the Astros after just 1/3 inning due to a blister on his right index finger.
But seven Sox relievers combined to hold the Astros to three hits as the Sox broke a three-game losing streak.
Chris Volstad recorded his first major league victory since 2012, and Juan Minaya earned the save despite walking two in the ninth.
Fulmer got George Springer to ground out for the first out of the game. After he walked Josh Reddick, the Sox had Volstad warming up in the bullpen. And after Fulmer walked Jose Altuve, the Sox went out to check on him and pulled him from the game after just 20 pitches.
He walked off the Minute Maid Park field with trainer Herm Schneider as Volstad entered.
Fulmer was making his fourth start of the year and sixth appearance with the Sox. He had allowed one earned run over six innings in each of his last two starts.
Volstad got Carlos Correa to ground into a double play to end a scoreless first inning and allowed just one run over 41/3 innings, on Brian McCann's solo homer.
The Sox took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel walked Rymer Liriano with the bases loaded. Kevan Smith hit into a bases-loaded double play to make it 2-0 in the second.
Tim Anderson extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games with his 17th homer of the year in the eighth inning. The solo shot to center field gave the Sox a 3-1 lead.
Several Sox players battled ailments on the 10-game road trip that concluded Thursday.
Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez battled through a head cold over the weekend against the Tigers. Right fielder Avisail Garcia left Wednesday's game with heartburn. And designated hitter Matt Davidson was scratched with flu-like symptoms before Thursday's game.
