Astros - 000 000 330 - 6 10 0 Red Sox - 100 100 100 - 3 8 0Tony Kemp, pinch-hitting with two outs in the seventh inning, lined Ryan Brasier's full-count pitch into the left field corner for a two-run double, giving the Astros a 3-2 lead. Boston immediately tied it up, but Houston opened the eighth with three consecutive singles off Joe Kelly. All three runners eventually scored: on a sac fly, a wild pitch, and a single.
The Red Sox tried again the home half of the eighth, as Ian Kinsler and Eduardo Nunez singled with one out, but the rally came to naught as Rafael Devers, pinch-hitting for Christian Vazquez, struck out and Jackie Bradley grounded back to the pitcher.
David Price (6.1-2-2-2-10, 101) pitched a great game, allowing a walk in the first and a single in the second before setting down the defending World Champs in order in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, striking out five and allowing only three balls out of the infield.
Unfortunately, Alex Bregman doubled to lead off the seventh and after striking out Carlos Correra, Price walked Tyler White. Brasier came in and Yuli Gurriel tagged his first pitch off the wall in left-center for a double. The Red Sox believed Gurriel was tagged out at second, but they lost that challenge. After Josh Reddick fouled to the catcher, Kemp doubled to left.
Boston had scored in the first on singles from Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi and a sac fly to right from J.D. Martinez. Xander Bogaerts kicked off the fourth with his 20th home run of the year. The Red Sox loaded the bases in the fifth off Gerrit Cole (6-5-2-2-8, 97) but could not pad their lead. Sandy Leon struck out, but a wild pitch put him on first. Bradley struck out, Betts singled, Benintendi lined to left, and Martinez walked. Bogaerts batted with two outs, but he swung and missed at an 1-2 pitch.
After Houston took its 3-2 lead, the Red Sox tied it when Bradley walked (and went to second on Collin McHugh's wild pitch) and Ryan Pressly walked Betts. Benintendi grounded to first and Houston got a force at second. Martinez lined a single to left, scoring JBJ. Shortstop Correa dove to his left, but came up empty. With runners at first and third, Bogaerts ended this rally, too, flying to center.
Roberto Osuna retired the top of the order in the ninth. Betts flied to center, Benintendi lined to left, and Martinez grounded to third.
Also: The Orioles lost their 100th game of the season in style, being hammered by the Rays 14-2. ... The Tigers TV announcers - Mario Impemba and Rod Allen - have been suspended for the remainder of the season after getting into an actual fight in the booth before Tuesday's game. The Athletic described the pair's off-air relationship as "contentious" and reported "simmering tension" between the two for a while.
Betts, RFNews: Dustin Pedroia had additional surgery at the end of July and will not be back this season. ... Chris Sale will start on Tuesday but for only two innings and no more than 40 pitches.
Benintendi, LF
Martinez, DH
Bogaerts, SS
Moreland, 1B
Kinsler, 2B
Núñez, 3B
León, C
Bradley, CF
David Price was pulled from his last start (August 29) after three innings when a line drive hit him on the left wrist. ... He has a 1.62 ERA over his last seven starts.
Brandon Phillips's two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning on Wednesday erased Atlanta's 8-7 lead and put the Red Sox up 9-8. His hit increased the probability of a Red Sox win by 74%, according to Baseball Reference - from 8% to 82%. That's the third-highest Win Probability Added of the season (.886). Only David Bote of the Cubs (.901 on August 12) and Josh Bell of the Pirates (.895 on July 15) have had bigger hits.
A commenter at Over The Monster noted: "Phillips scored the 1st run, the tying run (7th), and the go-ahead run (9th)". ... Someone else reported: "Phillips became the first player in team history to hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later in his debut with the team." ... I'm thinking the guy will probably get a nice round of applause at some point in this series.
The Red Sox are 97-44 with 21 games remaining. The 1912 team holds the franchise's win record: 105-47-2.
9-12: Minimum record needed to set a new franchise record for winsEight Red Sox Seasons With 97+ Wins
9-4: Minimum record needed in next 13 games to set a new franchise record for wins in 154 games
1912: 105-47-2 (World Series Champions) 1915: 101-50-4 (World Series Champions) 1946: 104-50-2 (Won AL Pennant) 1977: 97-64 (2nd in AL East, 2.5 GB) 1978: 99-64 (2nd in AL East, 1.0 GB) 2004: 98-64 (World Series Champions) 2013: 97-65 (World Series Champions) 2018: 97-44 ?
No comments:
Post a Comment