HOUSTON -- What’s the best way to describe the White Sox four-game, season-opening split with the Astros, facilitated by a 6-3 victory in Sunday’s series finale?

Competitive? Infinitely entertaining from Framber Valdez’s first pitch Thursday to Reynaldo López’s last pitch Sunday? White Sox manager Pedro Grifol had one word … and then a few more, when asked postgame what he saw from his team this weekend.

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“Grit,” Grifol said. “We were playing the world champions in a tough environment, a tough place to play. And we had chances to win all four games. That’s what I think.”

Here’s a look at four moments of note coming from these four matchups:

MONCADA MAKES A STATEMENT 
Actually, Yoán Moncada made that statement for this season during his all-tournament performance for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. He punctuated this next commentary Sunday with a home run, two doubles and stellar defensive play at third base.

“Moncada, we couldn't get him out the whole series,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “You got a guy like that that's hot in the middle of the lineup ...”

“That’s the effort we’ve spoken about,” Grifol said. “That’s the effort expected from them.”

For the weekend, Moncada was 8-for-18 with two homers and four RBIs.

OUTFIELD DEFENSE 
The play by Moncada on Mauricio Dubón’s bunt in the second was impressive, but it paled in comparison to Luis Robert Jr.’s running catch in left-center against Kyle Tucker in the ninth. According to Statcast, Robert covered 113 feet at 30.2 feet/second max sprint speed (with 30+ considered elite) and had 6.1 feet vs. an average jump.

“Megatron? Calvin Johnson in center field?” said a smiling Mike Clevinger, who earned the win Sunday. “Good grief, yeah. It’s very comforting to know you have those guys behind you.”

“He's a superior athlete out there, and he made it look kind of easy,” Baker said. “I didn't think he was going to get to that ball. [Andrew] Benintendi had to jump over him after he slid. That was a tremendous play."

Robert thought the catch taking away extra bases from Tucker on Saturday against the right-center field wall was the better of the two.

“Yesterday's one, because it was more difficult,” Robert said through interpreter Billy Russo. “I had to have the perfect timing to jump and catch the ball. Today, I was running behind the ball and I was able to grab it."

COLÁS IS FOR REAL 
Oscar Colás hit consistently for the White Sox, finishing with a double and a single to left Sunday along with his first RBI. He also swiped a base and made a diving catch on David Hensley’s line drive to right-center in the fifth to save two runs.

The White Sox have one of their best defensive outfields in many a year and should have one of the better defensive outfields in the American League. Meanwhile, Colás -- the No. 2 White Sox prospect and No. 85 overall -- feels a little better adjusted after his first four games.

“I’ve learned through these four days a lot of stuff,” Colás said through Russo. “Playing against a full house with this crowd for the first time. Learning about specific situations of the game. I’m learning. I think it was a very good experience for me.”

STARTING PITCHING 
Dylan Cease was masterful. Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito were both solid and Clevinger, in his White Sox debut, struck out eight over five scoreless innings. He had 13 swings and misses according to Statcast, with seven off the slider and six off his four-seam fastball.

“The stuff metrically, it’s moving, the execution, was exactly how I wanted it to be,” Clevinger said. “I actually threw more fastballs than usual.

“Fastball was probably the best pitch I had today. It was a good start. Felt life, I felt really good body-wise and healthy. That was the main common denominator.”

SWEET HOME CHICAGO
With this Houston battle behind them, the White Sox return for their home opener Monday afternoon against the Giants at Guaranteed Rate Field. First pitch has been moved up to 2:10 p.m. CT due to the forecast of inclement weather, but it’s a good time to get home for the South Siders.

“Actually matching the world champions was the best that could happen to us because that can [allow us to] measure ourselves against one of the best teams in the league,” Robert said. “Leaving here with a 2-2 record is good. I think it was a very good series."