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Archives for August 10, 2024

‘Stros Defeat Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Houston’s Jordan Alvarez hit two home runs and Spencer Arrighetti recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts to help the visiting Houston Astros defeat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Saturday.

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Alvarez opened the scoring by hitting a solo home run in the top of the first, and then broke a 1-1 tie by hitting a two-run home run in the sixth. The two home runs gave him 24 for the season.

Alvarez has 13 extra-base hits, including six home runs, and 20 RBIs in 68 career at-bats at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Arrighetti (5-10) limited Boston to two runs on two hits in seven innings. His 13 strikeouts were one more than his previous career high.

Alex Bregman and Zach Dezenzo each added a solo home run for Houston, which extended its winning streak to four games. Bregman’s home run, his 16th of the year, gave the Astros a 4-1 lead in the seventh. Dezenzo’s homer came in the eighth, and was the first of his major league career.

Danny Jansen (No. 8) and Masataka Yoshida (No. 7) both had a solo home run for Boston, which were the only hits against Arrighetti.

Boston’s Wilyer Abreu drove in two runs with a two-out single in the eighth that trimmed Houston’s lead to 5-4, but Rafael Devers was stranded at second after he led off the ninth with a double. After allowing the double, Houston closer Josh Hader retired the next three batters to record his 25th save.

The Red Sox went with a bullpen game after scheduled starter Cooper Criswell was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list Friday. Brad Keller (0-3) gave up three runs on six hits in four innings of relief and took the loss.

Jansen led off the fifth with a solo home run that tied the game, 1-1, but Houston regained the lead in the sixth when Alvarez hit his second homer to put the Astros in front 3-1.

After Bregman’s home run stretched Houston’s lead to three runs, Yoshida made it 4-2 when he homered in the bottom of the seventh. Dezenzo’s home run put the Astros in front 5-2 before Abreu’s two-run single in the eighth.

–Field Level Media

NFL Preseason Round-Up

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BALTIMORE – (Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Philly’s kicker Jake Elliott nailed a 49-yard field goal as time ran out after missing from 50 yards seconds earlier as the Philadelphia Eagles edged the host Baltimore Ravens 16-13 on Friday night.

Elliott, who also missed an extra point in the game, got his second chance for the winner when the Eagles sacked Emory Jones and forced a fumble on the first play after his miss came with 16 seconds to play.

Amid reports that Jalen Hurts would start at quarterback for Philadelphia, Kenny Pickett got the call instead and threw for 89 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He completed 14 of 22 passes, including hooking up with Will Shipley for a 7-yard score in the first quarter. Lew Nichols’ 2-yard touchdown run broke a 6-6 tie with 2:16 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens managed only two field goals by Justin Tucker, from 46 and 21 yards, in the first half. But Devin Leary, who came on at quarterback in the second half, scored on a 1-yard run with 5:46 to play to tie the game at 13-13. Josh Johnson, expected to be Lamar Jackson’s backup for Baltimore, played the first half and completed 4 of 12 passes for 62 yards.

Texans 20, Steelers 12

Houston QB C.J. Stroud, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, threw a 34-yard touchdown pass in his two series as Houston defeated host Pittsburgh.

Stroud’s strike to Tank Dell sent the Texans (1-1) on their way to a 17-0 halftime lead. Dell’s rookie season ended last Dec. 3 when he went down with a fractured fibula. He also sustained a minor gunshot wound when he was caught in crossfire at a bar on April 28. Houston got a 4-yard touchdown run from Dare Ogunbowale and two field goals by Ka’imi Fairbairn, from 36 and 51 yards.

Quarterback Justin Fields played the first quarter in his debut for the Steelers (0-1), hitting 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards. Kyle Allen went the rest of the way, throwing for 193 yards on 17-of-23 passing, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Connor Heyward. Allen was intercepted once. Daijun Edwards’ 1-yard run in the fourth quarter capped the scoring.

Dolphins 20, Falcons 13

Skylar Thompson threw for 95 yards and a touchdown as Miami turned back Atlanta in the first preseason game for each team.

Thompson, who played the first half, found Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 6-yard score early in the second quarter, and Jaylen Wright’s touchdown run, also for 6 yards, put the Dolphins ahead 17-10 later in the half. Jason Sanders booted field goals of 58 and 46 yards, and Tanner Connor made three catches for 70 yards, including a 43-yarder.

Playing most of the first half for Atlanta, Michael Penix Jr. — the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft — went 9 of 16 passing for 104 yards. Carlos Washington Jr. scored the Falcons’ only touchdown, a 1-yard run late in the first quarter. Younghoe Koo nailed both of his field goal attempts, from 39 yards in the first quarter and 53 yards early in the third.

–Field Level Media